Acceptance
by Jeremys Angel
Summary: Jed knew something would happen. He just did not know what.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer - Only borrowing these characters for some fun. Ok so the characters won't think it's fun.  
  
Background: Jed knew something would happen. He just didn't know what.  
  
Rating: God Q. Wish I knew. Let's go with PG-13.  
  
Author: Karin // Angel_of_dreams4@h...  
  
Feedback: "If you like it you do and if you don't you boo." - J.R.R. Tolkien  
  
Acceptance  
  
Part 1  
  
She walked through the doors and headed straight for the bathroom. "You talked to the girls?"  
  
Jed looked up as his wife emerged from the bathroom arranging clothes. "Yeah. Good Luck and we will see you on TV. You'd think at least one of them would want to be here in person." He glanced back at his papers and started reading again.  
  
"It's The State of The Union. Been there, done that." Not really paying much attention Abbey looked through her wardrobe.  
  
He scoffed. "Say that to the American people, leggy."  
  
"What I mean, blue eyes, is that they've been here for those before. They know you'll do fine." She continued looking through her closet.  
  
Jed stopped reading and looked up at her. "Will I?"  
  
It was with such a serious tone that Abbey stopped and really looked at him for the first time since entering their bedroom.  
  
"I have this feeling something is going to happen. I don't know what but it's scaring me." Maybe he  
  
shouldn't tell Abbey but then again it had bothered him and he needed to tell someone. That someone was usually his wife.  
  
Abbey, of all people, knew Jed Bartlet did not easily admit to being scared. This must be serious. "For how long?"  
  
"All day. It's, I don't know how to describe it. " He thought for a moment. "Something tells me we should do this another night. I just. Something will happen tonight Abbey. Something bad." He felt like he was pleading with her. Like a child trying to get permission to stay home instead of going to school.  
  
She really didn't know what to say to this. "You sure or could it be nerves? It is the first State of The  
  
Union speech of the second term."  
  
"No it's not nerves. I...Don't go with me Abbey." At least if he had to go she could stay behind and be out of what ever was going to happen.  
  
Her shocked expression couldn't have gone by unnoticed. "What?"  
  
"If something happens, God forbid, at least I would know you were safe. I wouldn't have to worry abut you." Now he really was pleading.  
  
Abbey couldn't be angry with him for being concerned about her. "Me? What about you? Or the Staff? Or.."  
  
"Me, I don't really care. If I could order the Staff to stay behind I would." He thought for a moment. "Maybe I can."  
  
"I for one DO care about you." That had come out a little too loudly.  
  
Jed nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. What I mean is....."  
  
"I know what you mean Jed." She sighed as she walked over and seated herself next to him "Don't delude yourself though. You can't order your staff to stay behind anymore then you can order me to."  
  
"I don't like it. Something will happen. I know it." He threw the speech next to him.  
  
She patted one of his hands. "I'll talk to the agents outside. They can talk to Ron."  
  
He watched her carefully. "Just what will you tell them?"  
  
"I'll tell them that, that there might be some concern for alarm tonight so they need to be extra alert." She continued talking not giving him a chance to say something. "Try to not let it get to you. I know but do try."  
  
He sighed heavily. What else could he do, really?  
  
Abbey leaned in closer. "I do like watching you try."  
  
"Oh I know you do." He smiled a little and tried leaning in for a kiss but Abbey was too fast for him.  
  
She stood up. "Maybe later. Stop sulking and read your speech. I'll talk to the agents."  
  
He watched as she walked out. "You'll bet later." He muttered under his breath. He gathered his papers and started once again from the top. He didn't get very far.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Telling the agents wasn't hard. So they wanted details. Details she couldn't give them. Oh hell if they had problems with Ron they could always send him to her. Deciding that she should talk to Leo was not a bad move. At least with him she could be open and it might be good for Jed that someone else knew his worries. No Margaret was to be found, and Leo's door was open, so Abbey figured she might as well just see if he was there. Walking closer she saw him reading.  
  
Could it be another copy of The State of The Union speech? Most likely. "Leo?"  
  
Leo looked up and saw Abigail Bartlet. "Abbey."  
  
She gestured him to not get up. "You got a minute?"  
  
"Yeah sure." She was closing the door. Must be serious.  
  
Abbey seated herself on the couch. She was telling this to Leo not only for Jed's sake but for her own. Maybe he could make some sense of it. She didn't doubt Jed but at the same time what was it that made him feel this way. Was there a threat against her husband or was he just having a bad day? Abbey didn't believe the bad day theory. Ok, might as well get this done. "Jed thinks something is going to happen tonight. He doesn't know what, when or how but he is really shaken up about it. He tried telling me not to go and he even thought about asking all of you not to go either. He wanted to do the Union another night." She paused and leaned forward." Leo, he actually admitted he was scared."  
  
Leo didn't blink nor did he doubt her. She was in his office, serious tone, serious face and The President admitted being scared. This was no joke. "What do you want to do?" There was no doubt, Abbey was in charge.  
  
Good. Leo knew her well enough to give her the ropes when it came to her husbands well being. "I talked to the agents. Told them there might be some concern for alarm tonight. Didn't give them any details. They'll talk to Ron. Probably already have. I think we should go as planned." She took another pause. "I don't doubt my husband but we don't know what the threat might be. If not today who says it's not going to still be there tomorrow or next week."  
  
"Yeah. Just to be sure we'll get him there and after the speech get him out. No interactions with people. Nothing."  
  
Leo knew Abbey was right. If a threat against The President was real then who knows when it might happen.  
  
"Sounds good." Abbey rose feeling more relieved. Talking to Leo had been a good idea. "I'll be up in the residence with Jed, getting ready for tonight. What ever it may have in store for us."  
  
There was something in that last sentence and her voice that made Leo shiver slightly. Why, he didn't know, but for a moment he felt.....scared.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Everything had progressed nicely. So why wasn't he feeling good. He glanced around and felt a wave of panic setting in. Where was Abbey? He called for Leo who hurried over. "Where is Abbey?"  
  
I don't know. She was here."  
  
Leo voice was drowned in a wave of screams. Jed felt more panic as he headed for the pool of people who seemed to be huddled around something or someone. As he got closer he started making his way through the crowd. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Abbey on the floor. Blood. There was blood around her. On her. Everywhere. He sank to his knees and felt for a pulse. Nothing. He tried with her neck nothing. Oh God this, could not be happening. Not her, not his wife, not....... "ABBEY!!!"  
  
The scream was enough for her to start running as she saw the agents bursting through the bedroom doors. Running up and past them she saw her husband, sweating, trying to catch his breath. She ran over to him. "Jed?"  
  
The agents understanding the situation closed the doors and left the First Couple alone.  
  
Jed blinked and looked around. This wasn't. This was his bedroom.  
  
"Jed?"  
  
He turned to the sound of the voice. She was here. 'She's alive.' He threw his arms around her. Yes, she was really there. It hadn't been real.  
  
She felt him holding on to her for dear life. She stroked his back with her hands. "It's ok. I'm here.  
  
I'm right here." She felt him starting to relax and breathe more regularly.  
  
Jed let go. He needed to see her face. "You're really here."  
  
She nodded. "Yes. I'm here." She had a pretty good idea of what he had been dreaming about.  
  
She was there but was she."You're ok?"  
  
"I'm ok." She smiled to reassure him that whatever he had dreamt of, in real life, she was fine.  
  
Jed let it sink in. She was ok. 'Thank God. That had been so real. Too real' "I.I thought I had lost you."  
  
"Tell me about it?" It wasn't something he would want to talk about but, it was always good to talk. To get it out.  
  
"The speech. After I couldn't find you. People screamed and.." He could actually still see the images  
  
clearly. Like it had been real. "There was blood everywhere and I couldn't find a pulse. You.you were." He could barely say it. "Dead."  
  
Abbey almost didn't hear the last word. Almost. "I'm here and I'm fine. It was a bad dream A nightmare."  
  
"No it wasn't." Jed finally understood the meaning of it all now and it made him quiver with fear. "You. Oh my God it's you."  
  
Abbey couldn't understand what he was saying. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Tonight, that's why I've had this feeling. Had the dream. Something will happen tonight and it will happen to you."  
  
For the second time in one evening Abbey didn't know what to say. She had seen the fear in his eyes.  
  
"Honey, the dream doesn't have to mean that something is going to happen to me."  
  
Couldn't she see she was in danger? Jed knew she was in danger and would take any steps necessary to protect her. "You can't go with me tonight Abbey. Please stay here."  
  
"Jed...."  
  
He took her hands in his and hoped she would understand. Putting all his emotions in his voice he pleaded with her. "Abbey, look I....Please. Don't go with me. I know I can't order you but I am begging you. Please don't go with me tonight."  
  
The agony in his features was vivid. His fear was palpable in he darkness in his eyes, the memory of his scream, and the tone in which he spoke. There was so much love in her husband. How could she deny him when all he was trying to do was protect her? "Ok."  
  
Jed didn't believe what he heard. "What?"  
  
"Ok, I'll stay behind. I won't go with you." Abbey stated simply.  
  
Jed let himself relax a little. He had been prepared to fight tooth and nail over this. Still, he was grateful that she had agreed. "Thank You."  
  
Abbey let go of his hands, rose and started going over her clothes. "Guess I won't need this."  
  
He heard the disappointment in her voice. "Abbey...."  
  
"No it's fine really. How can I deny you when all you want to do is protect me." She smiled briefly at him.. "You should get ready."  
  
She didn't sound that disappointed anymore but if she had been he would have understood He slid off the bed and walked over to her and kissed her cheek. "You can always see the speech on TV or watch it on tape later. I wouldn't ask you unless I really believed something would happen tonight and I do, for some reason, strongly believe that."  
  
Abbey understood her husband enough to know that even before he had said it. "I know but I don't see how though. These speeches have very tight security. Like most things you go to."  
  
"Didn't stop the shooting at Rosslyn." Jed felt Abbey shiver slightly at this and he put his arms around her. "That wasn't the best way to demonstrate my point. Sorry."  
  
For a few seconds they stood and not a sound was heard before Abbey spoke as she moved away. "No need to apologize. Now, as much as I enjoy seeing you in jeans you should get ready. Time waits for no man."  
  
Jed winked at her before heading to the bathroom.  
  
She looked at herself in the mirror. "So Abbey, what do you want do tonight?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Looking sharp Mr. President." Abbey smiled at him as she helped her husband with his tie.  
  
Jed smiled back at her "Maybe this time people will notice. Usually you get all the stares."  
  
She scoffed. "I can't help being a head turner."  
  
"That you are my dear." He leaned forward and started kissing her neck.  
  
"As much as I enjoy that, you have to get going." She tried pushing him away but he wouldn't budge.  
  
He continued kissing her neck and started for her jaw. "I'd like to get something else going."  
  
Abbey rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you would."  
  
The knock on the door caused Jed to swear and Abbey to smile wickedly at him.  
  
"Yes?" There was only one reason Jed longed for the days in The White House to be over: over: so he could spend uninterrupted time with Abbey.  
  
"Sir?" Leo walked in and he knew why his boss and friend had sounded so agitated. "We have to go. You don't have time for...." How to say this?  
  
"For what Leo?" Jed asked innocently.  
  
"Personal time with the first Lady." Yeah, not too bad.  
  
Jed simply looked at him. "So the Lady herself has informed me."  
  
"Good." Leo noticed Abbey was wearing jeans and a sweater. "Abbey, shouldn't you change?"  
  
She shook her head. "I'm not going. The President has ordered me not to."  
  
There was a amusement in the last line so Jed knew she didn't hold a grudge.  
  
Leo wasn't sure how to interpret that. "Is this because.....?"  
  
"Yeah." Abbey answered.  
  
"You told him?" Jed looked at her.  
  
She noddded. "Only him Jed."  
  
Jed turned to Leo. "Did you tell anyone?"  
  
He shook his head. "No."  
  
"Think I've lost my mind?"  
  
Again Leo shook his head. "No."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Ok then."  
  
"Ok. You do realize people will wonder why...?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Apparently my husband thinks something is going to happen to me tonight so he told me not to come with you guys." Amusing as their little exchange of words was, time was not waiting on them. "He feel asleep reading the speech and had some nightmare about me being killed."  
  
It seemed so easy to Abbey to say it like that but when Jed heard it the images he had seen in the dream resurfaced. That was one dream that was not going to come true.  
  
Although Abbey didn't see it, Leo noticed the expression on his friend's face when she had talked  
  
about being killed. He knew too well it was the one thing that could break Jed apart. "Ready to go Sir?" He wasn't quite sure what to say.  
  
Jed shook himself free of the images and nodded. "Yeah." He turned to Abbey and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you later."  
  
"You'll do great." She kissed him back and watched them walk out. She hoped that nothing would go wrong tonight. With or without her there she hoped it would work out fine.  
  
"You ok?" Leo asked as they made their way downstairs.  
  
"I don't know." Jed replied honestly.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Jed stopped in his tracks and turned to his best friend. "I asked Abbey to stay home because I am sure something would happen to her if she came with us."  
  
Leo nodded and waited for him to continue.  
  
"And yet...yet I still have this feeling that something will happen. To her. Tonight."  
  
"Sir, you asked her to stay home and she agreed. You can't do anything more." Leo thought about that for a second. Jed could skip the State of the Union and stay with Abbey but how would that look? The President staying home because he thinks his wife might be in danger.  
  
"Yeah you're right. I....I just want to be home as soon as I can." He didn't feel good about leaving Abbey behind at all.  
  
Now this Leo could help with. "I think we can do something to accomplish that Sir."  
  
They started walking again but Jed couldn't stop worrying. Had he done enough to protect her? Yes. She was safe in The White House.  
  
Abbey picked up a book but she didn't open it. She didn't feel like reading. Didn't feel like watching TV. When it all came down to it she felt like she was grounded. Maybe in some sense she was. Throwing the book back she noticed a letter had fallen out of it and on to the floor.. She bent down and recognized the letter. Her face lit up with a smile. She had after all found out what to do with her evening. She put the book back on the table, pocketed the letter in one of her jeans pockets' and put it a jacket on. Before leaving, she took out a piece of paper and wrote a little note to Jed, just in case he would be back earlier then her. Not likely but one never knew. He couldn't get mad at her for leaving for a while. She had promised not to go with him, and she was keeping that promise. She put the note on Jed's pillow and made her way to the door. She opened it and greeted the two agents. "Guys, Let's go for a ride."  
  
TBC....... 


	2. Tradegy

Acceptance  
  
Part 2  
  
Two cars, going in two different directions through the streets of Washington.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Sir?" Leo gently touched Jed's shoulder.  
  
He turned to look at Leo. "What?"  
  
"Have you heard anything I've said to you?"  
  
Jed looked away. "No."  
  
~~~~  
  
"I'll bet she'll be pleasantly surprised, Ma'am."  
  
Abbey tilted her head slightly looking at her driver/agent. "I hope so David."  
  
~~~~  
  
Leo spoke in a gentle tone. "I know you are worried about Abbey but we can't have you spacing out like this during the speech."  
  
Jed nodded still looking out the car window. "Yeah."  
  
~~~~  
  
Coming around the corner David could see the van. Heading toward them, out of control. He swerved the car trying to avoid a collision.  
  
Abbey looked up at hearing the awful screeching sound. The light was blinding her.  
  
~~~~  
  
Suddenly Jed felt an overwhelming fear so powerful that it terrified him.  
  
Leo noticed a movement and saw Jed's body going completely rigid.  
  
~~~~  
  
David tried but it was a lost cost.  
  
Abbey held on for dear life. Images of Jed and the girls flashed through her mind as the van hit the side Abbey was sitting.  
  
The limo slid on some ice and went down an embankment.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Mr President. Sir?" Leo tried.  
  
"Abbey...." Jed said in a whisper. Something had happened to her. He could feel it.  
  
~~~~  
  
In a daze David shook his head to clear his mind. His head was hurting and he tasted blood in his mouth. He turned and looked in the back seat. A car door was open, the agent was gone and The First Lady was slumped over the backseat. He got out and went to check on her. What he saw made him gasp in terror. He started checking for a pulse. He couldn't find one on her left wrist so he tried with her neck. He heard shouting and saw the other two agents from the limo that had followed them. Glenn was heading over to him while Stefan, most likely, was getting some assistance.  
  
~~~~  
  
Ron Butterfield quietly started talking in to his receiver. Both he and Leo had seen the terror in the President's eyes, heard it when he spoke that one name.  
  
~~~~  
  
David was relieved to feel a pulse right away and not too weak. for now. He checked her face. Her nose was bleeding, and she had a cut on her lips and a mark on her forehead that soon would show a large bruise. That was not what worried him, though.  
  
"David?"  
  
"I'm ok, Glenn."  
  
Glenn came running up to the car and looked inside.  
  
"Oh shit!"  
  
"We need help and fast."  
  
~~~~  
  
Jed had noticed Ron communicating through the receiver. He waited as he hoped he would hear that his wife was ok and what ever he had felt, still was feeling, was something else. Anything else.  
  
~~~~  
  
David got out of the car. Looking around he spotted the agent on the ground and Stefan hovering over. David saw him shaking his head.  
  
~~~~  
  
Jed didn't dare to relax. Somehow he knew what was coming wasn't going to be good news.  
  
Ron locked eyes with his boss. "There has been a car accident."  
  
Leo squeezed Jed's arm but Jed couldn't feel anything except the mounting fear in him. "Where?" Jed hoarsely asked. "Do you know where?"  
  
~~~~  
  
"Paramedics are on the way." Stefan yelled as he hurried over. "The door is stuck." Glenn said as he tried opening the car door next to the First Lady. David didn't need to even try to know there was no way they could get her out like this.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Yes." Ron replied.  
  
"Take me to her." Before anyone could say anything as if they dared to protest Jed yelled once more to be sure. "Take me to her now!"  
  
~~~~  
  
David checked for a pulse again. Good, not worse than before. Knowing The Presidents location he didn't doubt that he would get here before the paramedics did. That would not be so good considering what he would see.  
  
~~~~  
  
Leo picked up his cell phone. He fumbled and had to start over. Again he fumbled. He closed the phone, closed his eyes and silently prayed for the life of his friend.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye Jed had seen Leo desperate attempts at making one phone call. "She is going to be ok Leo." Was he trying to convince Leo or himself?  
  
Leo could only nod, still with his eyes closed. He was praying Jed was right.  
  
Jed looked out the window. 'I'm on my way Abbey. Hold on.'  
  
~~~~  
  
'Better late then never.. hopefully.' David thought as he tied his tie around Abbey's left leg, just above the knee. He tied it hard to make sure it prevented the wounds from bleeding so much. "Give me your tie." He said to Stefan who couldn't believe what he was looking at. "Give me your tie." David repeated, as Stefan yanked his tied off and handed it to David.  
  
As soon as the car came to a stop Jed threw the door open.  
  
Ron and Leo knew better than to try and stop him. They got out after him.  
  
As soon as Jed was out he saw the car. He started running towards it immediately.  
  
David, Stefan and Glenn had heard another car and looked up to see The President running towards them.  
  
Jed stopped running and then made his way down the embankment. Almost at the end he fell but got up right away. All he cared about was getting to Abbey. He saw the agent lying motionless a few feet from the car and shivered. "Check him." He yelled as he quickly pointed to the agent while hurrying over to the car.  
  
Leo and Ron followed suit and made their way down as well. Leo followed Jed while Ron went to the agent's side.  
  
David got out of the car as The President came hurrying over with The Chief of Staff close on his heels. He noted that Ron Butterfield was getting up from the ground and on his way over.  
  
Jed saw the back of Abbey slumped over in the backseat.. When she came in view he staggered a bit. There was blood coming out of her nose and lips. He tried jerking the car door open.  
  
"It doesn't work Sir." David called to him.  
  
Some part of him registered what the agent had said so Jed reached in and put a hand  
  
on Abbey's neck to feel for a pulse. He found one right away. He knew the agent had probably done that too but he wanted to feel for himself. After all, Abbey's beating pulse was Jed's lifeline.  
  
Leo came running up and Ron wasn't that far behind.  
  
David started talking. To no one in particular. "She's trapped. There is no way we could get her out."  
  
Jed looked at him while holding one of Abbey's hands in his. "What do you mean trapped?" He was going on pure adrenaline now, and focused on one thing: helping his wife. He still felt a deafening fear inside him but to help Abbey he had to put it aside.  
  
"Her leg is trapped." David replied as Ron Butterfield walked over to David's side of the car to take a look.  
  
Ron usually didn't show any emotion but this time he could not help himself. "Oh God."  
  
Leo flinched. If Ron showed reaction it must be horrible beyond words.  
  
Jed gently let go of Abbey's hand and hurried over feeling the fear once again increasing in him. As he got closer Ron stepped in front of him. "Sir, you don't...."  
  
"Move!" Jed didn't care. He had to see. No matter how bad he had to see for himself. He had to know. "Get out of my way!"  
  
Ron held his ground. "Sir, believe me you don't want to see this."  
  
Jed didn't care. With all his might, he pushed Ron out of the way. It was with such a force  
  
Ron fell to the ground. Normally Jed couldn't overpower Ron Butterfield but getting to someone you love has been known to give people more strength then they ever knew they possessed.  
  
With Ron out of the way Jed turned and looked into the limo. Nothing had prepared him  
  
for what he saw. "Oh my God." He fell to his knees on the ground not fighting the tears that came. "Abbey...."  
  
Leo moved instinctively to aid Jed in any way he could. Reaching him he couldn't help but to look in the car. He immediately reverted his eyes from the sight before him and swallowed. He could hear sirens in the background, getting closer.  
  
No matter how much he wanted to Jed couldn't stop staring at his wife's body. He couldn't think straight. Was something like this even possible?  
  
Seeing the paramedics jumping out of the ambulance, Leo tried dragging Jed up to his feet. "Sir, you have to get out of the way. The paramedics are here." Leo also saw the other ambulance that arrived.  
  
Jed heard Leo but couldn't move. He literally could not move. "I...I...can't"  
  
Leo understood and with Ron's help they got The President on his feet.  
  
Jed watched through a veil of tears as two men and one woman came closer and started checking his wife over while Ron and Leo took him gently aside. The men working on Abbey were talking to each other, but Jed couldn't hear anything.  
  
Leo held on to Jed, afraid if he let go, Jed would fall. He noted that Ron was doing the same. One of the paramedics walked over to the driver and a few words were exchanged. Leo then saw another man approach the scene.  
  
With all the activity around him Jed could only focus on Abbey's face. By sheer will he forced himself not to look at anything else. Not to look at....  
  
It would only be a matter of time. "Jed?"  
  
Jed blinked and looked at Leo.  
  
Leo knew he needed to get Jed to sit down or he would soon fall. "You need to sit down?"  
  
Jed nodded. More tears came and he couldn't stop them.  
  
With Ron's help they helped Jed as he seated himself on the cold ground. "Get a blanket or something." Leo whispered to Ron.  
  
A blanket would not have been necessary. Jed couldn't feel the cold.  
  
One of the paramedics approached to then kneel in front of them. Leo was the first one to speak. "How is she?"  
  
The young woman had seen The President so many times before. Now he was in front of her, tears in his eyes and all over his face. "She's suffering from some blood loss. Not too severe though."  
  
"What about....." Jed turned and looked at the young woman in front of him. "What about....."  
  
The woman nodded. She knew what he meant. " We are going to cut her out. Her right leg is trapped but not so much that it should be a problem to get her out." She took a deep breath before continuing. "However, as for....." At this point she locked eyes with The President.  
  
"Nothing can be done?" Jed spat out.  
  
She bowed her head slightly. "There is a lot of damage but I don't want to speculate. It needs to be looked at by a doctor."  
  
Leo closed his eyes briefly.  
  
Jed felt an anger rise in him he had not felt for a long time. "Where's the driver?"  
  
Neither Leo nor the woman was sure what driver he meant. He saw their confused looks. Apparently he had to spell it out for them. "The person that caused this. Why did this happen?"  
  
"The driver of the van has been taken to the Hospital, Sir."  
  
"Oh did he hurt himself?" Jed said with a mocking tone. "Why, to much too drink?" He wondered if his life had been altered by a drunk driver for the second time in his life.  
  
"He suffered a heart attack, Sir."  
  
"At the wheel?" Leo asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Jed wasn't sure if he had heard right. "A heart attack?"  
  
"Yes, Sir." The young woman repeated.  
  
There was no anger in Jed anymore. Just sadness. An overwhelming sadness. The sound of a saw broke through the night and Jed closed his eyes bowing his head in his hands.  
  
The woman took that as a sign to leave. She was needed much more elsewhere.  
  
Leo was still holding on to Jed as they both were seated on the ground. As Ron walked over with a blanket Leo took it and wrapped it around his best friend. Jed didn't move at this gesture nor had Leo expected him to. Leo could feel how bad Jed was shaking, but it wasn't from the cold or the MS. That Leo was sure of.  
  
Jed couldn't look. He heard the sounds but he couldn't look. He heard voices but didn't want to listen. He was powerless. He couldn't do anything for her. He couldn't do anything for the woman he loved more then life itself. "Leo?" Jed kept his head down while talking. "The agent?"  
  
Leo looked over his friend's shoulder as the body of the agent was being carried away. "Dead."  
  
They stayed that way. Seated on the ground, Jed with his head down, crying and shaking. Leo with his arm around Jed's shoulders with a few tears in his eyes as well. Leo glanced over to the wreckage. He squeezed Jed's shoulder. "Jed, she's out."  
  
It was that simple statement that finally made Jed raise his head. He watched as they carried Abbey on a stretcher up the embankment to the waiting ambulance, carefully but quickly. Jed made an effort to get up but found his body extremely heavy. He was grateful for Leo's support. As he walked with his best friend's arms holding him upright, he watched as the ambulance that his wife was in disappeared in the distance.  
  
Leo guided Jed back up the embankment and to the limo. If he let go for one second, Leo knew that Jed would fall.  
  
It was with extreme difficulty that Jed got into the limo and collapsed in the back seat.  
  
As Leo made his way to the other side, he noticed something flashing. He looked in the direction of the flash and saw a young man with a camera. "Shit." Torn between going over to the man and being with his friend, he got into the limo. As soon he was inside the car drove off.  
  
Jed kept staring out the window not paying any attention to his surroundings. All he could think about was Abbey. The love of his life, the reason he lived, his wife, the mother of his. "Damn." He turned to Leo. "I need to call the girls." My God, what was he going to say to them?  
  
Leo took out his cell phone and handed it to him. "Yeah, you should. It might be out soon and you should let them know before they hear it on the news." Damn, he shouldn't have said that but Jed would soon find out.  
  
There could only be one reason Leo would say something like that. "Someone was there?"  
  
Leo sighed. "Yeah, a reporter. I saw him when you got into the limo. He was taking pictures."  
  
Jed had begun dialling on the cell phone but slammed it shut. "What kind of reporter would take pictures at a time like this?" His voice filled the entire car.  
  
There had been numerous times when a reporter had been at the wrong place, at the wrong time. One can't control those things but for the first time Leo wished he actually could. "Some reporters do. Remember when Princess Diana died in France? Some took pictures of  
  
her in the car after the crash."  
  
Jed glared at him. "Those pictures were never shown to the public, and if there are any pictures of Abbey they better not be either."  
  
Leo watched him carefully. "I don't know if we can prevent that."  
  
Jed ignored Leo's last remark and started dialling. This was one of three phone calls he hated making. He heard the tones and a part of him wished his oldest daughter wasn't home. At the sound of her cheery voice answering, he nearly broke down, but composed himself. "Hi Liz."  
  
"Dad, what's wrong?"  
  
He briefly smiled. She could always read him like an open book. Just like her mother could. "Honey, there's been an accident."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Your mother's been hurt. She's on her way to Bethesda right now."  
  
"Is she going to be ok?"  
  
It amazed Jed how at times Liz could sound like a frightened child trying desperately to put up a brave front. He wished he was there so he could wrap his arms around her and comfort her. Truth be told Jed needed to be comforted as well and holding one of his daughters was always a good comfort. "I hope so."  
  
"I'll be there as soon as I can."  
  
Jed could argue that she didn't need to, that he'd call her as soon as he knew anything, but he knew she wouldn't listen to him. Besides, Jed wanted her to be there. He needed her to be there. He needed all of his daughters right now. Most importantly, Abbey would need them.  
  
TBC..... 


	3. Waiting

NOTE: Even though the story is set when Will has arrived on the scene I still have Sam in it. I didn't know Will when I wrote this and I like Sam so I kept him.  
  
Acceptance  
  
Part 3  
  
"Where is The President?" Toby asked.  
  
"For the hundredth time Toby, we don't know." CJ answered glaring at him. They all were wondering that very thing.  
  
"I tried calling Leo's cell phone but I keep getting his voice mail." Josh had now joined the little group. "Anything, Sam?"  
  
"Something has happened." Sam was walking towards his colleagues and friends to give them the little news he had. "I called The White house and they said he left over 20 minutes ago."  
  
No one said a word. Could something have gone wrong? Was The President alright?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jed waited. He was about to disconnect when his middle daughter answered her cell phone.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She sounded impatient. Not her usual greeting. Still hearing her voice had the same effect when he had heard Liz's voice earlier. He could not break down now. "Ellie."  
  
"Dad, where the hell are you?"  
  
Ah, she was watching on TV and his absence had been noted already.  
  
"Everyone is going nuts here and Toby keeps asking me where you are. Have I heard from you and.."  
  
It suddenly occurred to Jed that Ellie was not watching TV. She was there in person. "You're there?" There was a sigh before she spoke again.  
  
"Yes. I wanted to surprise you."  
  
The warmth in her tone warmed his heart and he briefly smiled. He should have known. Ellie always loved saying one thing and then doing the complete opposite. She loved surprising people. Especially her family.  
  
"I guess I am the one who was in store for a surprise. You are not here. Should I be alarmed?"  
  
God how he hated doing this. "Baby, your mother has been in a car accident. I'm on my way to Bethesda right now."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Oh ok. I.I'll be right there."  
  
Just like Liz she sounded terribly frightened and just like with Liz he wished he could take Ellie in his arms to comfort her.  
  
"Eh, should I tell your staff?"  
  
Ellie was always good at composing herself quicker then her siblings. Maybe it was the doctor mode Jed always teased her of getting from her mother. "Yeah, they should know."  
  
CJ had watched Ellie and seen her face change. It wasn't a good change. She had alerted her companions to that fact and they were all watching Ellie as she made her way over to them. "The President?"  
  
Ellie nodded. "Mom's been in a car accident." Saying it aloud finally made it seem real for Ellie.  
  
CJ, Toby, Josh and Sam stared at her. They didn't need to ask to know The President was with his wife or that there would be no speech tonight.  
  
Again, he waited. Soon he heard his youngest daughter's voice. And again he had to fight not to break down completely. "Zoey."  
  
"Dad, I was going to watch you on TV but you are late and people seemed to be running all over trying to locate you. Is everything alright?"  
  
Straight to the point. Before he could answer Zoey spoke up again.  
  
"No then why would you call me. Especially right now. What's wrong?"  
  
Thank God he didn't have more kids to call. This was tearing him apart. "Sweetie, your mother was in a car accident."  
  
Silence.  
  
Jed looked out the window and noticed where they were. "I've just arrived at Bethesda. I've called Liz and Ellie. They are on their way here."  
  
"Liz too? Oh God then it must be bad."  
  
She sounded scared and like with Liz and Ellie he wished he was with her right now. "Zoey, I really don't know how bad it is." That was a big lie but how to talk about something like this over the phone. He remembered the young paramedic who didn't want to speculate on Abbey's injuries.  
  
"I'll be there as soon as I can."  
  
He smiled briefly once again. "I know you will."  
  
CJ was tapping away with her fingers on the car door. "You think she'll be ok?" The question was directed at no one in particular. Heading back to The White House was not an easy task with all the reporters blocking their way asking about The President and where he was.  
  
They might not know yet but they soon would and it was CJ's job to give them that piece of news. Although she would have preferred that she didn't have to. "God, I hope she'll be alright."  
  
Toby studied CJ. She looked as shaken as he felt. Looking at Toby one could never tell how he felt inside but right now he was worried. Really worried. He admired Abigail Bartlet a great deal. Although Toby was also worried about The President. If The First Lady didn't make it, God Forbid, The President would die right along with her. His spirit would cease to exist. "Leo will call when he gets a chance."  
  
"Should we go there? I mean, shouldn't we offer some support?" Sam didn't know why he had voiced that out loud. Leo would want them back at The White House and Toby was right, Leo would call when he could. Then again they were all at GW after Rosslyn. For a while at least. However that was different. They had all been affected by that. Heck, they were affected by this as well. Maybe it was for the best. Sam may be a good speechwriter but he could not come up with any words to comfort their leader when he was in pain.  
  
"Leo is there. Liz, Ellie and Zoey are on their way. That's all the support The President needs." Josh looked his co workers over. They were more then his co workers, they were his friends. This evening had started out so well and now this. He was tempted to call Leo but decided against it. He wished Leo would call soon. Josh wasn't the only one who needed to know more.  
  
Talking with his daughters had given Jed some of his strength back. He was sitting in a waiting room with Leo. Except for Leo, Jed and some agents the room was empty. People who might have been there before had been whisked away before his arrival. "Maybe you should call them?"  
  
Leo turned towards him. "Are you sure? I hate to leave you." Leo never used his own cell phone in hospitals. It was a principle with him.  
  
"Go. Make the call. They probably want to hear from you. Hell, they probably expect it and rightfully so. They all know Abbey and are no doubt worried." Jed was grateful for Leo's presence but just for a brief moment Jed needed to be alone.  
  
"Ok." Leo got up but before walking away he looked at Jed. "She'll be ok."  
  
Jed remembered when he had said those very words to Leo earlier. To comfort Leo or himself? Who the hell knows? Just as long as they came true.  
  
"CJ, is it true?"  
  
She turned as Carol approached her quickly. "Is what true?"  
  
Carol continued walking with CJ down the hall speaking fast. "That the First Lady has been injured in a car accident?"  
  
CJ stopped dead in her tracks making Carol walk right into her. "How did you find out?"  
  
"Oh my God, it's true?"  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so and before you ask I don't know anything. Now how did you find out?" Of course someone might have seen something and then it would have spread like a brush fire.  
  
"Danny asked me if I knew anything about it."  
  
"Danny?" CJ interrupted. She was clearly surprised.  
  
"Yeah, apparently a friend of his stumbled on the accident."  
  
CJ felt cold. "Are you telling me there are pictures?"  
  
Carol simply nodded.  
  
CJ rubbed her forehead trying to make things clear. "Where is Danny?"  
  
"In your office."  
  
CJ made a complete turn and stormed down the hall. The nerve of some journalists. On the way she saw Toby. "Toby!"  
  
Whatever it was it wasn't good. "What have you heard?"  
  
She walked up to him and came face to face. "There was a photographer at the accident site."  
  
Toby stared at her. "Pictures?"  
  
CJ nodded, knowing all too well the disbelief Toby was feeling. She had just felt it a moment ago. "Yeah, can you believe it? I'm heading to my office and according to Carol, Danny is there."  
  
"Danny was at the..?" Somehow Toby always figured Danny was too nice of a guy to do something like that.  
  
"No." CJ interrupted. "Some journalist friend of his who knows how close Danny is with us and told him. I'm going to talk to him and will let you know what I find out."  
  
"Ok, I'll get Josh and Sam. You just find out what, when and how, fast."  
  
Sir?" Jed looked up and saw a doctor approaching. He recognized the man. "Yes, Dr..I'm sorry I forgot your name but you are a friend of Abbey's, right?"  
  
The man nodded. "It's Mark McCall. I'm sorry we have to meet again under these circumstances."  
  
Jed was afraid to ask. "How is she?"  
  
"She's suffered some blood loss but not too great, has severe injuries to her legs.."  
  
Jed interrupted. "I don't mean to be rude but will she be ok?"  
  
"Mr President, your wife is going to survive."  
  
Jed felt a huge relief but there was still something else. "About her.?" Jed couldn't finish.  
  
"Yes, there are some very severe injuries there. I've looked them over, as has another doctor and I'm afraid Sir, there is nothing we can do."  
  
Jed stared at him. "Nothing..?"  
  
"No, Sir."  
  
Coming around a corner Leo saw a doctor talking to Jed. He could see on Jed's face that the news was bad. Leo watched as the doctor patted Jed's shoulder, turned and left as Jed sank back into a chair, covering his face in his hands. Composing himself Leo walked over and seated himself next to Jed. Jed didn't notice his presence, and for a moment, Leo wasn't sure what to do. "Jed?"  
  
Hearing Leo's voice, but not wanting to move, Jed just spoke up. "They can't do anything to save her leg."  
  
Leo swallowed.  
  
"They have to amputate below the knee." Jed suddenly realized that in trying to protect his wife he just might have driven her into danger. "What have I done?"  
  
Leo wasn't sure if he had heard right. "What did you just say?"  
  
Realizing he must have said that last line out loud Jed lifted his head up and looked at Leo. "I did this to her."  
  
Leo couldn't believe this. Was he actually thinking this? "No you didn't."  
  
"Yes I did." Jed noticed he was almost screaming and lowered his voice. "I was so focused on keeping her safe that I told her to stay home. If she had gone with me this wouldn't have happened."  
  
Leo's voice was surprisingly calm when he spoke. "What if she had gone with you and been hurt? Wouldn't you have blamed yourself for not keeping her at home then?" Leo saw that his words had affected Jed.  
  
"Yeah." Leo was right. No matter what he would have done, the bottom line was whenever Abbey or one of the girls was hurt, or even someone else he cared about, Jed had a tendency to blame himself.  
  
Ellie looked around frantically when she spotted her father and Leo. "Dad!"  
  
Hearing Ellie's voice he looked around and saw her. He got up just in time as she threw herself in his arms. This was what he needed, to hold one of his daughters.  
  
Leo decided to leave them alone. He hadn't had a chance to call The White House before he had seen the doctor with Jed.  
  
Ellie held on to her father. "Mom?"  
  
Jed stroked her back as he talked to her. "In surgery. The doctor said she's going to survive." He continued stroking her back, trying to make her feel better. "We knew that though, didn't we? Your mom is a fighter."  
  
Ellie withdrew and looked at her father. Her mom was a fighter. Yet she felt something wasn't right. "Yeah."  
  
"I'm glad you're here."  
  
"Me too."  
  
Jed drew Ellie into another hug, and for a few minutes, they stayed just like that.  
  
"So this guy took a few pictures, but according to Danny, none of them of The First Lady. Just The President, Leo and the wrecked car Abbey was in." CJ finished talking. Toby, Sam and Josh had all come to her office. The news was out and CJ had been dodging bullets all over.  
  
Before anyone responded the phone rang. CJ groaned. "If this is another reporter, Carol, thell them I'm not in". Normally Carol was not part of CJ's meetings like this, but CJ knew how much Carol liked The First Lady and knew she could trust Carol, so she had allowed her to be part of it.  
  
Carol nodded as she walked out the door.  
  
"So, like I was saying the pictures will be in the papers in a special edition and will most likely hit the streets before daylight." CJ took a breath as Carol burst in.  
  
"CJ, It's Leo."  
  
Everyone in the room froze except CJ who picked up the receiver in record speed. "Leo? Yes, Leo I've got them here. Can I put you on speaker?"  
  
CJ put the receiver down and the speaker button.  
  
"Hi guys." Leo's voice greeted them. He sounded tired. "I'm sorry I haven't called before. I was about to but then the doctor came out and...."  
  
Carol looked over at CJ and mouthed if she should leave. To her amazement CJ mouthed back for her to stay. "Leo, Carol is here I hope that's ok?"  
  
There was a brief pause. "Yeah but she can't talk to Margaret, Donna, Ginger or anyone else about this until I say so. That goes for all of you. Got it?"  
  
CJ looked at Carol who nodded in agreement. "I think that goes without saying."  
  
"Leo, How is she?" Toby was never one to wait and sit around for the answers.  
  
"She is going to survive."  
  
Everyone is CJ's office felt a huge relief.  
  
"Although, her legs were trapped in the car and they had to cut her out. Her left leg in particular was.....badly....well, well, there were severe lacerations caused by jagged metal."  
  
No one said a word. No one blinked. No one dared take a breath.  
  
"There was too much damage so they have to amputate it just below the knee."  
  
No one said anything. The shock was too great. CJ blinked trying to comprehend what she just heard "Amputate?"  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
"And the other leg?" Toby spoke up again.  
  
"There was little damage to it also, but not nearly as much. According to the doctor her right leg will be weak for a couple of weeks until she regains the strength back in it."  
  
Josh suddenly remembered. "Should we call Charlie?"  
  
"I forgot. I'll call him."  
  
Everyone in the room knew Charlie had taken the evening of. Well The president had ordered Charlie it. Charlie's sister had needed him more that evening then The President did. After all, it wasn't every evening one's sister received an award at the school she attended.  
  
"Leo, we need to say something. The news is already out that The First Lady was in a car accident." CJ didn't feel like talking about this, but she had long since discovered that in the hardest times, work had to continue.  
  
"You mean the reporter at the accident site?"  
  
CJ raised her eyebrows in surprise and saw the others mirror her actions. "You know?"  
  
"I saw him. So what does he have?"  
  
CJ leaned back in her chair. "Pictures of you, The President and the car Abbey was in."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Ok. Let me know when you see the article. I want to know what it says."  
  
"You don't want to try and stop it?" Toby spoke up again. Try and stop it? Like that would work.  
  
"As long as there aren't any photos of Abbey, the President won't care."  
  
"How's the President?" For the first time it was Sam who spoke.  
  
"He's....he's pretty bad."  
  
No one needed to be told really their boss would be in a bad shape.  
  
"Should we come down there? I mean...?" Sam didn't get very far before Leo interrupted him.  
  
"It's ok, Sam. I know you care but right now I need you all to stay where you are. Ellie just got here and that had already helped the President a great deal."  
  
There was a brief pause before Leo spoke again.  
  
"Listen CJ, tell the press that The First Lady was in a car accident, she is in surgery and is expected to live. But do not mention the amputation yet. I'm sure The president wants to tell his daughters before that is revealed to the public."  
  
"Alright Leo." CJ responded.  
  
"Ok, thanks. I'll call again later when I have more to tell you."  
  
As Leo hung up they all stared at each other. Carol turned to leave the group alone and closed the door behind her.  
  
CJ took a deep breath before she started talking. "I guess we should get back to work." CJ took another deep breath as she spoke again. "Although how we could possibly work right now is beyond me. Then again we did manage when The President and Josh..." CJ trailed off looking nervously at Josh. "I'm sorry Josh, I..."  
  
Josh waved a hand. "It's ok."  
  
She shook her head and wondered how she could have been so insensitive. "No, it's not. That was really stupid of me."  
  
"CJ, it's fine. Let it go." Josh smiled at her.  
  
CJ simply nodded in return.  
  
Josh continued speaking. "It was easier because we were all there, at Rosslyn. You were all there and then at the hospital that's why it was easier. You all were close to the President and me at the hospital so perhaps that helped things."  
  
Absorbing what Josh had said, CJ, Toby and Sam realized he had a point. A very good point. Being close had helped.  
  
Josh sighed deeply. "Besides, neither I nor The President lost a body part."  
  
The room suddenly became deathly silent.  
  
TBC.. 


	4. The Truth

Acceptance  
  
Part 4  
  
Jed and Ellie held each other's hand as they waited. Jed knew he should tell Ellie the truth but right now he could not. He wanted to tell the girls together. He didn't want to repeat it three times, watching over and over and over again as each girl reacted to the news.  
  
"Sir?" Leo walked over to stand in front of Jed and Ellie.  
  
"It's back to Sir now?" Jed was feeling stronger having Ellie near. He looked at Leo and spoke with a serious yet friendly tone to make his point clear. "You know I'm in a personal crisis here so it's fine, heck better then fine, if you, my best friend, would call me Jed."  
  
Ellie decided to throw in her point as well. "I know I'd like to hear you call him that more often."  
  
Jed smiled as he squeezed Ellie's hand, briefly looking at her, as he turned to Leo once again. "See, you are in the minority here."  
  
Leo nodded. "I just talked to Liz."  
  
Jed's smiled vanished. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"She left a message on my voice mail and said she couldn't get a flight. So I arranged a charter to pick her up. I might be taking big chances here but I figured you wouldn't mind picking up the bill."  
  
Jed shook his head. He didn't mind at all just as long as Liz was on her way. "No, you weren't taking chances. I'll happily pay the bill."  
  
Leo hesitated. "I called the staff and I also called Charlie."  
  
Jed sighed. "Why did you call Charlie?"  
  
"He would find out and I thought it should come from one of us. He asked if he should come over and I told him not to. Sam asked that very same thing and I said no to him also."  
  
"Yeah, I'm not up to seeing them right now."  
  
"They understand that."  
  
Leo took a seat next to Ellie and took her free hand in his.  
  
With one hand being held by her father, and the other by Leo, Ellie put her head on her father's shoulder.  
  
Leo locked eyes with Jed over Ellie's head and mouthed 'Did you tell her?' The sadness that came over Jed made it clear to Leo that Jed had not said anything to Ellie.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye Ellie had seen Leo. She jerked her head back up.  
  
Ellie's quick move caught Jed off guard but it was nothing compared to the look she gave him.  
  
Ellie blinked. "Did you tell me?"  
  
Jed froze.  
  
Leo felt terrible. She had seen him.  
  
She had felt something wasn't right and that feeling was now stronger then ever. "Dad, what do I need to know?"  
  
Jed's mouth was dry. He had tried fighting it while talking to Liz, Ellie and Zoey on the phone. Now, seeing Ellie and the way she looked at him did it. He tried but this time he broke down.  
  
A part of Charlie wanted to go and see The President but Leo had told him not to and that no one of the senior staff was coming to the hospital either. Charlie knew that as much as he wanted to, he couldn't do anything. He had asked Leo to tell Zoey to call him if she needed to talk. Leo had also promised to call if there was anything he could do for them. Right now he couldn't do anything. He had seen CJ's press briefing confirming The First Lady's accident but that there were no life threatening injuries. There had been no mention that The First Lady's left leg couldn't be saved. According to Leo just a handful of people knew that so far, and Charlie had mixed feelings about being one of those people.  
  
Ellie was not prepared for this. Seeing her father break down in front of her like this, crying and shaking violently. She didn't know what to do.  
  
Leo got up and walked over to Jed's other side and wrapped an arm around him.  
  
Ellie ran out of the waiting room. She couldn't bare seeing him like this. She ran into one of the restrooms and was relieved to see it was empty. She locked herself in one of the stalls.  
  
Jed forced himself to calm down, taking deep breaths as he lifted his head. He looked around and noticed Ellie was gone. "Where's Ellie?"  
  
"She ran out." Leo pulled out a handkerchief and gave it to Jed. "I think it scared her to see you like that."  
  
Jed's heart sank at Leo's words as he took the handkerchief Leo offered. "I didn't mean to."  
  
"I know but you have to remember she's scared too." Leo got up from his seat. "I'll go and see if I can find her."  
  
Jed stopped him. "No, I'll find her. You stay here in case Zoey shows up when I'm gone."  
  
Leo nodded as Jed walked away.  
  
While walking down the hall Jed saw a young nurse approach. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Yes, Sir?" The nurse had not been surprised to run into The President. "Are you looking for your daughter?" She could see she had clearly surprised him though. "I figured since I saw her just a minute ago, running down the hall. I think you will find her in the ladies restroom just around the corner to your right."  
  
Jed was grateful he didn't have to search. He didn't want Ellie to be alone with her pain for too long.  
  
Zoey ran up to Leo as soon as she saw him. "Leo!"  
  
"Hey Kiddo." He got up and embraced her. "Your dad is with Ellie right now. They should be back soon."  
  
Zoey withdrew from him. "Mom's still in surgery?"  
  
"Yeah." Leo took her hand in his as they both sat down.  
  
Although Zoey figured both her dad and sister would be in the same terrible state she was in, she needed to ask. "How are dad and Ellie?"  
  
"Not to good, although having all of his daughters here helps your dad a lot, I'm sure." He squeezed her hand and she smiled briefly back at him.  
  
After an agent had made sure no one was in the ladies room, Jed entered. It didn't take him long to figure out she was in the locked stall. "Ellie?"  
  
Hearing her father Ellie got up and unlocked the door. She walked out and was relieved to see him looking more like himself.  
  
Jed noted she hadn't been crying but was looking a little pale. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break down like that in front of you." He never liked anyone seeing him like that, as Ellie had just seen him. He often went to great lengths not to bee seen in that condition by anyone, and especially his wife and daughters.  
  
Ellie studied him carefully. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have asked you."  
  
Jed shook his head. "No no, you had every right to. It's just....it's difficult."  
  
She leaned back against the bathroom stall. "I want to know dad, but I'm afraid to ask."  
  
He walked over to stand next to her. "Because of what I might tell you?"  
  
She momentarily looked away. "Yes, and that you might break down again."  
  
This was the reason Jed didn't want any of his daughters to see him in that state like the one that had just happened. They would start tiptoeing around him, afraid to say or do anything. He took one of Ellie's hands in his and squeezed it. "Don't you worry about me."  
  
She looked back at him. "What's wrong with mom?"  
  
He sighed. He made it a point never to lose eye contact with her. "They have to amputate her left leg just below the knee." To his surprise Ellie didn't flinch, nor did she react in any of the many ways he had imagined.  
  
It was weird how she didn't feel anything at the moment. "Too much damage?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok. Let's go back outside. We can't hog the restroom anymore, and maybe Zoey is here by now." Ellie let go of her father's hand and walked out. She didn't want to give him a chance to say anything more.  
  
Jed stood and watched the door close behind Ellie as she left. He knew what she was doing. He had seen Abbey do it so many times, putting her own fears and feelings aside to help others. In the end it always got to Abbey and he had no doubt it would get to Ellie also. He just hoped he would be there when it happened.  
  
Ellie walked over to the waiting room and saw Zoey with Leo. "Zo?"  
  
Zoey looked up and ran to her older sister. "Ells."  
  
Leo saw Jed but for some reason Jed stayed in the background just watching his two daughters. Leo silently made his way over to him.  
  
As Jed saw Leo approach, he took his best friends aside. "Leo, I need a favour."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"I need you to keep an eye on Ellie."  
  
"Is something wrong?" Leo had noticed how the Ellie that had left the waiting room and the one that came back seemed like two different people.  
  
Jed looked over and saw Ellie guiding Zoey back to one of the chairs. "I told her about Abbey."  
  
Leo thought hearing news like that didn't seem to have affected Ellie. "She seems fine."  
  
"That's the problem. She isn't letting it get to her. Any fear or worries she has have been put aside so she can focus on helping us: me, Liz, Zoey, you and anyone who needs it." A big part of Jed was proud of how Ellie was handling it. Just like her mother. Then again putting one's own feelings aside was never a good thing.  
  
Leo understood completely. "I'll keep an eye on her."  
  
CJ walked into her office and saw Danny sitting in one of the chairs. "Danny. Still here? When did this become your office?"  
  
Biting in to his apple, Danny didn't take notice of her sarcasm. "Hello to you too, CJ. Anything?"  
  
She walked around her desk and flopped down in her chair. "Anything?"  
  
"How is The First Lady?"  
  
CJ fought the incredible urge to just tell him the truth. "The press briefing was 20 minutes ago and you were there. You were asking questions and I answered them."  
  
He shrugged. "Not all of them. And besides I thought you might have heard something new. Although I have a feeling you already know a lot more than you were letting on during the briefing."  
  
CJ sat up straight and folded her arms in front of her. "Danny, this is an awkward position for me. I know you and know that you are a good guy. You are, however, also a reporter and therefore, even if I wanted to and frankly I would like to, I can not tell you anything I might have learned. That does not mean that I might have learned anything more than I have already told you."  
  
Danny took another bite of his apple as he got up to leave. "Ok." Reaching the door he turned. "She will be ok, right?"  
  
It was with pure honesty CJ replied. "I hope so. I really do hope so."  
  
Zoey noticed someone sitting down beside her. She turned from Ellie and saw her father. "Dad."  
  
He brushed some of Zoey's hair away from her forehead. "Hey." He leaned and hugged her.  
  
"How long before mom is out of surgery?" She asked still in her dad's arms.  
  
"Several hours." Jed reluctantly withdrew from the hug. "I need to tell you something." He didn't want to do this, but Ellie knew, and if he didn't tell Zoey now, Ellie would keep pressuring him to until he did. 'She deserves to know' Ellie would most likely say, and she would be right. He saw that Ellie had wrapped her arm around Zoey's shoulders, and Zoey was looking terrible scared.  
  
"What is it?" Something was wrong with her mother. She could see it in her father's face and feel it in the way Ellie had her arm around her.  
  
"There was to much damage done too your mother's left leg." He saw the terror that began to rise in Zoey. "They had to amputate it just below the knee."  
  
Ellie focused on Zoey, waiting for her reaction.  
  
This could not be happening. It was so unreal. Zoey couldn't say anything. She just stared at her father. She turned to look at Ellie and could see it was real. It was happening. As she turned back to her father she started to cry.  
  
Jed gathered his youngest in his arms trying to do his best to comfort her. He looked over at Ellie and still there was no reaction from her.  
  
"It's so unfair!" Zoey cried out.  
  
"I know sweetie, I know." He hated what this was doing to Ellie and Zoey. What it would do to Liz? What it would do to Abbey?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The flight had been long and tiresome, but one could hardly tell by looking at Elizabeth Bartlet-Westin as she made her way through the hospital corridor. She glanced around and saw her father with Zoey in his arms and Ellie near by. She stopped. Zoey was crying and not so little either. She swallowed as she approached carefully.  
  
Ellie saw her older sister coming closer and tugged gently on her father's sleeve. When he looked at her, she said gently "Liz".  
  
Jed immediately turned around with Zoey still in his arms to see his oldest daughter standing next to him.  
  
Zoey, feeling the movement and seeing her oldest sister, let go of her father.  
  
"Hey." Liz didn't know what to say.  
  
Jed got up and wrapped his arms around Liz. "Hey." They were all here. All of his daughters.  
  
"What did I miss?" Liz couldn't miss the flinch in her father's body upon hearing her words. She withdrew and looked in his face seeing the images of Zoey crying and Ellie looking numb. "Oh God, Mom's...?"  
  
Jed knew what Liz was thinking and cursed himself for not being able to control his feelings. "No, no, your Mom is fine." He drew her into another hug.  
  
Ellie got up. "I'll leave you two alone."  
  
Zoey mimicked her sister. "Yeah, we won't be far."  
  
Jed didn't let go of Liz as he spoke. "You don't have to do that."  
  
"Like Zoey said, we won't be far." Ellie couldn't bear seeing her father tell Liz, not after watching Zoey cry and feeling her own helplessness at the situation.  
  
Zoey needed to get away for a bit. Outside, fresh air was what she needed.  
  
Jed watched his two younger daughters walk away, hand in hand. He gently let go of Liz and looked into her beautiful face. His first born. "Let's take a seat."  
  
"Just tell me what's wrong with Mom?" By the looks Liz had seen on her family's faces, something was definitely not right.  
  
Jed took a deep breath and again, thanked God he didn't have more children. This was a nightmare. "Your Mom's legs were trapped in the car, especially the left leg which was severely lacerated with metal." He felt Liz's hand tremble. "They have to amputate it. Just  
  
below the knee."  
  
Liz blinked. She never imagined. "Oh, God." Suddenly she bolted.  
  
Jed got up and ran after her. "Liz?!"  
  
She ran, searching frantically, and when she found it, ducked into the restroom, opened a stall and started to heave.  
  
As Jed came into the stall, he could hear Liz throwing up. He walked over and gently tucked her hair back as she continued. "It's OK, sweetheart. You're going to be fine."  
  
Hearing her father talk soothingly to her while holding her hair and stroking her back, Liz relaxed. She eased back to a wall.  
  
Jed got up and soon returned with some wet paper towels. Using some on her forehead, he spoke up again. "Feel better?"  
  
Liz could barely find her voice. "Yeah."  
  
He continued wiping Liz's forehead. "Annie and Gus are not with you?"  
  
Liz shook her head. "No, they have the flu."  
  
Jed nodded as he continued making sure his girl was OK.  
  
Leo watched Zoey and Ellie. Rather he watched Ellie comforting Zoey. Jed had been right. Ellie had closed herself off. Completely.  
  
"I'm OK. No need to fuss." Liz had gotten her strength back and was getting up from the floor.  
  
"I like to fuss over you." Jed was relieved to see color back in Liz's face. "I don't get to do it much anymore."  
  
Liz halted. "Mom is going to be in surgery for a long time, then?"  
  
Jed sighed as he threw away the paper towels. "Yeah, the doctor told me I didn't need to wait here because it would be several hours. He suggested we get some coffee."  
  
"Like that would get you to leave." Liz attempted a small smile.  
  
"Yeah." Jed found himself smiling back at her.  
  
TBC.... 


	5. Needed Elsewhere

Groovy Kind of Love, a song by Phil Collins.  
  
Acceptance  
  
Part 5  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Waiting is the hardest part. Even though people knew Abbey would be fine, it wasn't really true. What really is the right definition of fine in this case? She would survive, but would she really be fine? That question was on several people's minds this night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Dad? Dad?" Liz patted her father's arms.  
  
Jed stirred. He opened his eyes and saw Liz. "What?"  
  
"Mom's out of surgery."  
  
He bolted out of his temporary bed. "Just how long was I out?" He grabbed his suit coat as they made their way out of the room.  
  
"Couple of hours."  
  
He looked at her while putting his coat on. "Did you get any sleep?"  
  
Liz nodded. "Yeah. We all got a little sleep."  
  
"Leo?"  
  
"Went back to the White House a while ago." Liz showed her father the way to her mother's room. "Zoey is in there with Mom. I haven't been there myself yet."  
  
Jed stopped briefly "And Ellie?"  
  
"She went with Leo to the White House to get some clothes for Mom."  
  
Jed nodded. He opened the door and saw Zoey sitting by the bed. He then saw Abbey. The last time he had seen her had been at the accident site and those images he couldn't keep from surfacing. He walked in with Liz close behind him.  
  
Liz couldn't help but to see the empty space where her mother's left leg should have been.  
  
Zoey heard them and got up.  
  
Jed patted Zoey's arm a little before getting closer to Abbey. "What did the doctor say?"  
  
"Not much more than you already know." Liz answered. "Her right leg should be completely healed in a couple of weeks."  
  
Jed swallowed and nodded as he seated himself next to the bed. There was a big bruise on her forehead and a small cut on her upper lip, but nothing else that indicated the tragedy that had befallen her. He started stroking her cheek. "Hey babe."  
  
Neither Liz nor Zoey could stand seeing their parents like this, so they decided to leave. Quietly they walked out.  
  
"Oh, Abbey," Jed lifted her right hand to his lips.  
  
"Is Dad with Mom?" Ellie walked up to her siblings with a suitcase.  
  
Zoey cleared her throat. "Yeah."  
  
Ellie started towards the room when Liz spoke up. "Wait, maybe we should leave them alone for a while?"  
  
"I found a note from Mom to Dad and thought that Dad might want to read it." Ellie wasn't really sure that her Dad wanted to read the note.  
  
"Yeah, Dad would want to read it." Liz confirmed for Ellie.  
  
Ellie sighed as she opened the door and walked in. Closing the door behind her, she turned and was struck by the sight of her mother, more the sight of the empty space where her mother's leg should be.  
  
Jed felt someone's presence and turned to see Ellie.  
  
"I brought some clothes." She put the suitcase near one of the chairs. "And I found something." She took out the note and handed it to her father.  
  
Jed took the note and saw his name written in Abbey's handwriting. He stared at the note as Ellie made her way out of the room. It wasn't until the door closed behind her that he knew Ellie was gone. He opened the note and started to read.  
  
"Jed,  
  
If I'm not home before you, don't panic.  
  
I just thought I'd visit Carla.  
  
Don't worry about me; I'll be fine.  
  
Love,  
  
Abbey"  
  
'Don't worry about me; I'll be fine....I'll be fine....' The words kept ringing in Jed's head as he looked over at his wife and especially at her legs. The note fell on the floor as Jed took Abbey's hand in his and started to cry.  
  
Leo read through the article on Abbey's accident. He looked at the pictures. One stood out in particular. The one of him and Jed walking together with his arms around Jed. It was the face of his best friend that caught one's attention. It was that of a heartbroken man whose life had just been shattered.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Leo looked up to see Josh standing by the door.  
  
"I saw when you and Ellie got in, but I figured..... "  
  
Josh didn't finish the sentence as he walked over to the couch. He wasn't sure what to say to Leo.  
  
"Yeah." Leo threw the paper on his desk. He had seen the people look at him and Ellie when they had arrived. No doubt they all had a lot of questions, questions he didn't feel like answering right now.  
  
There was an awkward moment of silence before Josh spoke again. "How is he doing?"  
  
Leo didn't need clarification. This question he could answer, just as long as he didn't have to get into Abbey and her injuries. "He...he's coping."  
  
Josh nodded. "You need to give CJ something to say."  
  
This time Leo nodded, but before he could say anything his cell phone rang. "McGarry."  
  
"Hi, Leo."  
  
"Liz, any news?" Leo looked over at Josh who had moved closer.  
  
"Mom's out of surgery and Dad's with her right now."  
  
"That's good." He paused briefly. "How are you guys holding up?"  
  
"We're...we're doing OK."  
  
Leo knew there would be no good time for this, so he just decided to say it. "Listen Liz, I hate to do this, but I need you to tell your Dad to call me later."  
  
"Press getting anxious?"  
  
Leo sighed. "Yeah."  
  
"Figures. I'll tell him."  
  
Leo knew that except Jed everyone else in the Bartlet family hated all the press attention. A situation like this wasn't any good at all in so many ways, much less with questions being asked at every turn.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Josh listened as Leo exchanged words with Liz Bartlet. Everyone on the Senior Staff, heck, everyone who had been at the White House when they heard about The  
  
First Lady's accident had stayed. No one wanted to go home. Now when morning had come, it was supposed to be another work day, but it was anything than just another day; a friend had been seriously injured, her life changed forever.  
  
Jed stroked Abbey's hair as he sang to her. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, like she was asleep and nothing more.  
  
"When I'm feeling blue  
  
all I have to do is take a look at you,  
  
then I'm not so blue."  
  
He caressed Abbey's cheek and held one of her hands in one of his as he continued.  
  
"When I'm in your arms,  
  
nothing seems to matter,  
  
my whole world can shatter,  
  
I don't mind."  
  
He didn't hear the door open behind him or the steps that indicated someone was approaching him.  
  
"Wouldn't you agree,  
  
baby, you and me  
  
got a groovy kind of love?"  
  
Liz composed herself. She could hear the thickness in his voice and how hard he was trying to get the words out.  
  
"We got a groovy kind of love."  
  
Jed finished singing and cleared his throat. He knew it would be some time before Abbey would wake up, but he longed to see her open her eyes.  
  
Liz stepped closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Very nice."  
  
"Your Mom is the one with the real singing voice." He kept his gaze on Abbey.  
  
Liz seated herself on a chair next to her father and laid her head on his shoulder. "Mom always liked it when you sang to one of us." One of her hands found one of his. "Dad, I talked to Leo and he needs to know what to say to the press."  
  
He sighed. "Just tell him to tell the truth, no point in holding back."  
  
"Leo wanted you to call him."  
  
Jed turned towards Liz briefly before turning back to look at Abbey. "I don't want to leave your mother. Not now."  
  
"OK." Liz let go of her father and started to leave. "We'll be right outside."  
  
Jed simply nodded in response as Liz stepped out into the hall. He gently touched the bruise on Abbey's forehead. "We have got three amazing girls, Abbey. If you could see how they are handling all this, you would be proud. They are doing much better than their old man." Suddenly Jed was feeling tired. He couldn't understand why since he had just slept several hours. He leaned back into the chair, never letting go of Abbey's hand. To shut his eyes for a few minutes was all he needed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Dad? Dad?"  
  
Jed opened his eyes and saw Zoey. He looked around as he got up. "I fell asleep."  
  
"So we noticed." Zoey couldn't help but to smile. Seeing her father sleeping like that next to her mother was quite a sight.  
  
Jed looked over at Abbey. "How long was I out this time?"  
  
Zoey checked her watched. "About three hours. You must be hungry, let's get something to eat."  
  
He shook his head. I don't want to leave."  
  
"Dad, you know Mom would want you to take care of yourself."  
  
He looked at his youngest daughter. "That was a cheap trick!"  
  
Zoey shrugged. "Did it work?"  
  
"Yeah. Let's go." He put his arm around Zoey and started for the door. Before going out, he turned to take one last look at Abbey and then, left the room with Zoey.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Soon Jed was back by Abbey's side. In the hours that followed, Liz, Ellie and Zoey took turns sitting with their mother. Jed was always there, too, even if one or several of his daughters was in the room. Leo came to visit and updated Jed on how things were at the White House.  
  
Leaving the room for a rare moment to stretch his legs, Jed was walking down the hall when he heard a familiar voice. "...The First Lady suffered a mild concussion, a cut on her lip and severe leg injuries." Jed walked in the direction of the voice and came upon a small waiting room where the TV was on. He stood at the door and watched CJ giving a press briefing. "Her right leg was badly cut by jagged, grinding metal upon impact, but the cuts should be mostly healed in a couple of weeks."  
  
The four people in the room watched the TV screen intently as did Jed. Other people wouldn't have noticed the little twitch in CJ as she began speaking again, but Jed didn't miss it and he knew the pain CJ was feeling about Abbey. "Her left leg was even more severely lacerated with metal and had to be amputated below the knee. The damage to the nerves and blood vessels was too great."  
  
Jed heard the murmurs from the people in the waiting room and the reactions of the reporters in the pressroom who started shouting CJ's name. He guessed it was a rerun since he had given his OK to Leo several hours ago. He watched as CJ composed herself to finish her briefing. That included the agent that had died at the scene and the driver who had suffered a heart attack at the wheel had also died shortly after. When the questions got too personal, Jed couldn't watch anymore and turned to leave.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Early evening found Jed still sitting next to Abbey, talking to her and caressing her cheek while telling her stories of how he fell in love with her, how nervous he was when he was going to propose, how scared he was when Liz was born and many others of their life together. Stories Abbey already knew, but that Jed loved telling. Suddenly he stopped. Had he just imagined the fluttering movement of Abbey's eyelid or was it real? He carefully watched her as she opened her eyes. Feeling immense joy at the sight, Jed leaned closer.  
  
Abbey opened her eyes slowly. Her head was pounding and her eyelids felt incredibly heavy. Her vision was a blur.  
  
Jed leaned even closer. "Abbey?"  
  
She heard her name and knew the voice right away. "J...j..." She couldn't say Jed's name out loud, but her vision did became clearer as she focused on her husband.  
  
Jed knew that she was trying to say his name. "I'm here."  
  
She looked at him and hoped he would understand. "Wh....w..."  
  
"You're in the hospital. Do you remember what happened?" He squeezed her hand gently.  
  
Abbey didn't need to think. She remembered exactly what had happened. She tried to nod. Could he see it?  
  
He saw her trying to nod. "Good, that's good."  
  
"T...tir..." She concentrated to get the word out. "Ti...re..."  
  
"Tired?" He asked her.  
  
Again she tried to nod.  
  
"It's OK. Get some rest. I'll be right here." He kissed her forehead and then saw her close her eyes.  
  
Abbey couldn't force her eyes to open again. There was so much she needed to know, but her mind wouldn't cooperate with her. Just a little more rest and then she would find out all she needed to know.  
  
How is he going to tell her? How does one tell a person she has lost one of her legs? How will he be able to watch her reaction without falling apart again? Jed got up and walked over to the window. Staring out at nothing in particular, he was thankful he had some more time to prepare himself for what he had to do. To tell the woman he loved she had lost a part of herself.  
  
It had been a rainy day. Jed couldn't help but think that no matter what kind of weather there would be outside in the weeks to come, there would be many more rainy days ahead in their hearts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Leo opened the door, glancing at his friend standing by the window before looking over at Abbey. He had not seen her since before the accident and his eyes couldn't help but wander to that empty space where her leg should be. Putting a check on his emotions, Leo cleared his throat before he spoke. "Mr. President?"  
  
Jed heard him, but didn't move. He had seen, via the reflection in the window, the sadness on Leo's face when Leo had looked at Abbey. He had hoped people wouldn't look at her with an expression like the one Leo had just had. Abbey would hate it and it would not do any good. But he couldn't blame Leo, Jed had had the same expression on his face the first time he had seen his wife after the surgery.  
  
No reaction, so Leo tried again. "Sir?"  
  
Jed still didn't move.  
  
Realizing Jed's need for personal contact, Leo tried a different approach. "Jed?"  
  
Jed grinned as he turned. "That's better." His smile vanished when he saw the serious look on Leo's face. "What is it?"  
  
"You need to go back to the White House." Leo waited for Jed's reaction, hoping he wouldn't have to drag him from the hospital. Then again, he was sure Jed would see how serious the situation was.  
  
Damn. There is always a crisis somewhere. Maybe he should be grateful that he had not been needed until now. "Why?"  
  
"Little more then twenty minutes ago, a bomb was detonated. We have received a message that more will go off, one every hour, unless you release a certain prisoner." Leo heard Jed curse as a response.  
  
"Damn it." Jed sighed as he walked over to Abbey and kissed her forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't you wake up until I get back."  
  
Leo walked outside to wait for Jed and was joined by Liz.  
  
Seeing Leo's face, she asked, "What's going on?"  
  
"Your father is needed back at the White House." Just as predicted Jed had seen the seriousness of the situation. Leo hoped his daughters would be as understanding that their father still had to uphold the oath he had sworn, no matter where his personal feelings screamed for him to stay.  
  
At that moment, Jed walked out and closed the door behind him. He smiled at Liz. "Your Mother woke up a few minutes ago."  
  
Leo's face lit up in the first smile of what seemed like forever.  
  
Liz smiled as well. "Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah. We didn't talk much. She is still tired, so I told her to get some more sleep. Why don't you and your sisters get some rest? Your Mom won't be awake for another couple of hours at least." He patted one of Liz's arms.  
  
"We'll take turns sitting with her to give us all time to rest." Liz watched her father. "You are going to be at the White House dealing with the bombing?"  
  
He glance over at Leo. "I guess the news is out already." Then, he turned back to Liz. "Yes, I am. I don't want you, Ellie or Zoey to leave the hospital. At least you'll be safe here. Your agents are all in place."  
  
Liz started walking towards her mother's room. "You think we would anyway?"  
  
Jed shook his head. "No."  
  
TBC... 


	6. Frustration

Acceptance  
  
Part 6  
  
Toby and Sam watched CJ through the glass partition at the back of the pressroom as she gave her briefing. There was an update on The First Lady, but it was mostly about the bomb and the threats of more.  
  
"The First Lady's accident isn't the top story anymore." Sam stated in a sad tone.  
  
"Not when people are afraid for their own safety." Toby turned and started walking away. "The President is on his way back here."  
  
"You realize it will be the first time we see him since....." Sam didn't get a chance to finish.  
  
"Yeah." Toby rounded the corner with Sam where they both saw The President and Leo approach them.  
  
Jed saw the two men walking towards him. "Hello."  
  
"Sir." Toby noticed how tired The President looked, but wisely kept it to himself.  
  
"Mr. President." Sam didn't know what else to say.  
  
"I hear we have a bomber on our hands." It wasn't that difficult for Jed to see that these two men were treading lightly. Perhaps it was better to keep the conversation on the matter at hand.  
  
Toby nodded. "Yes, sir. CJ is giving a briefing right now, basically urging people to stay indoors."  
  
Jed turned to face Leo. "All right, Leo, let's get to work."  
  
"Yes, sir." Came the fast response.  
  
After the two men passed, Sam whispered to Toby. "He looks exhausted."  
  
Toby turned to Sam before walking away. "Yeah."  
  
"Charlie."  
  
Charlie didn't need to look to know who that voice belonged to. "Mr. President."  
  
Jed felt like he needed to squeeze in a few more happy moments before getting serious. "How did your sister like the gift you gave her?"  
  
"Loved it." Charlie wanted to say something, but what?  
  
"Wonderful." Jed patted his shoulder and made his way to his office door.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Jed stopped and turned to Charlie.  
  
Leo ventured on into the Oval Office to give them some privacy.  
  
"Sir, I'm really sorry about...." He couldn't find the right words.  
  
Jed simply nodded before he turned and walked into his office, seeing the people that waited for him. "Gentlemen, what do you have for me?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"That was a waste of time."  
  
"Sir..."  
  
"No, really Leo, we can't release this..." Jed picked up a note. "Brendan McCullough, so all we can do is sit and wait for the next bomb to go off. The first one didn't kill anyone, thank God, so let's just hope we get just as lucky next time. And the next. And..."  
  
Leo could hear the frustration in Jed's voice. "Sir, we have people out there looking for whoever is responsible for this."  
  
"We might not find him." Jed checked his watch. "Any moment now."  
  
Leo simply nodded.  
  
They didn't say anything as they sat there and waited. One could hear voices from afar, but in the Oval Office not a sound was made. Moments like this were terrifying, waiting for news and preparing for the worst.  
  
Suddenly Fitzwallace burst into the room. "Three minutes ago, no casualties and no injuries."  
  
Jed looked over at Leo and could tell Leo was as relieved as he was. They had some more time, but did it matter? How was this going to end?  
  
"Who is this Brendan guy anyway?" Sam wondered out loud as he sat down in a chair in CJ's office.  
  
"He is the leader of something called 'Freedom Fighters For a Free America' who'd rather use violence than words." CJ glanced over the papers she had in front of her. "They seem to object to a lot."  
  
"Such as...?"  
  
"Jews, black people, abortions, homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals, people who are challenged......take your pick."  
  
Sam took the papers CJ was handing him and started reading. "And because their hate is so far reaching, they will be assured good press coverage."  
  
"Yeah." CJ peered at him while working on her computer. "What is it they say? 'There's no such thing as bad press'."  
  
Josh knocked on the door and let himself in. "Toby."  
  
How annoying is it when people can't wait until one answers before they barge in? "What do you need, Josh?"  
  
Josh detected the hint of annoyance in Toby's voice. He knew how Toby hated when people just barged into his office. Well, in this case, Josh couldn't care less. "Ginger said you saw The President, is that true?"  
  
Toby looked up. "Yeah."  
  
"So...?"  
  
"So what?"  
  
Josh rolled his eyes. "How did he seem?"  
  
Toby thought for a moment before he answered. "Tired, motivated and positive. That's about it."  
  
Josh nodded. Didn't seem as bad as he had thought. "Thanks."  
  
"Close the door." Toby yelled as Josh was about to walk away.  
  
"Right, sorry."  
  
"What you are telling me is that we have nothing? We don't know who the guy is or his connection to McCullough?" Jed continued pacing as he spoke.  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"Let's hope we know something before someone gets hurt or worse." Jed stopped pacing and turned to Fitzwallace. "Let me know when you have anything and I mean anything."  
  
"Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. President." Fitzwallace acknowledged and walked out of the office.  
  
Leo straightened his posture. "Sir, you need to calm down a little."  
  
Jed rounded his desk to sit down in his chair. "How am I supposed to do that?"  
  
"You will do no good if you work yourself up to a ..."  
  
"No need to say it, I know what you are thinking, but I am fine." Jed eyed his best friend. "I am focusing, Leo. You think my mind is only on Abbey, but it's not. I do think of her, but I am fully focused on the business at hand."  
  
"I didn't say you weren't."  
  
"I know."  
  
This was frustrating beyond belief. People could die and Jed couldn't do anything about it. After the second bomb, another message had been received and it was the same as the first, to let Brendan McCullough be released or more bombs would soon detonate. Why now? Why this time when the only place he wanted to be was with Abbey? If he wasn't President, he could be with her and some other guy would have to worry about this. But, alas, he was President and it was his duty to at least try and protect the citizens of this country. How the hell could he do that when he had failed to protect his own wife?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Liz stretched in a chair next to her mother's bed, being careful not to bump Zoey who was curled up in the chair next to hers, sleeping. Where Ellie was she didn't know, maybe she had gone to get coffee. Her father would most likely not be back for a while. She knew it must be tough for him to be working now when he so wanted to be with his wife.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Another bomb, but no casualties and no injuries! So far fate was working in his favor but would it last? All the messages that had come with the bombs had scared him, but the last one had given him somewhere to focus that fear. The same thing as the others, but one line added at the bottom. "What if, Mr. President, someone you love gets hurt?" Jed stared at the note. Someone he loved had already been hurt, but not because of a bomb. They had had their share of hurt.  
  
"Sir, it's not going to do you any good to keep reading that." Leo came back into the Oval Office.  
  
"My family is safe, right?" His eyes narrowed as Leo approached him.  
  
"Yes, the agents are there and we have added more security outside as well." Leo didn't want to speculate what this unknown man was up to, but he didn't like it.  
  
"Also, I prefer that none of the Senior Staff leaves the White House, just to be safe." Jed got up and started to pace. "Leo, I especially want you to stay close to me and my security. It's no secret how much you mean to me." Jed gazed out the window, not wanting to make Leo uncomfortable with his _expression of the feelings in his heart. "The note says someone I love and you might make an easier target, because the girls and Abbey have their own Secret Service." Jed stayed at the window, giving the emotions time to sink in.  
  
Leo nodded. "I will, sir." It was well known how Jed felt about his entire staff.  
  
"Speaking of Staff, I haven't talked to anyone from Abbey's staff yet. Abbey won't be working or attending anything for a long time." It was with a deep sigh he said those words.  
  
"I'll have a word with them, but I think they understand that all ready." Leo offered.  
  
Jed didn't respond as he stared out the window. How he needed Abbey right now.  
  
Fitzwallace entered the Oval Office with determination. "Sir?"  
  
Jed spun around. "What do you have?"  
  
"He's been caught." Three simple words. "The FBI closed in on him with the help of several citizens who called in tips. They reported a tall man with a full beard who was driving a grey station wagon being seen in the areas where the bombs went off. Several of the tips were identical. After several false alarms, the police located another man fitting that description. Upon searching his car, wire matching that used in the bombs was found."  
  
Jed was relieved. It was over and no one had been hurt.  
  
Leo smiled and patted Fitzwallace on the back. "Well done."  
  
"We don't have any information about his motive, but are hoping he'll talk once we start interrogating him."  
  
Jed walked around his desk and shook Fitzwallace's hand. "Good work."  
  
Fitzwallace hesitated. "Thank you, sir."  
  
Jed noticed the reluctance and wondered if there was something more.  
  
He didn't need to ask as Fitzwallace spoke again. "We apprehended him outside Bethesda. He had already been inside." Fitzwallace was not sure if he should wait for a reaction or continue.  
  
A chill went through Jed's body. "He had been inside?"  
  
Leo's face paled and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him  
  
"Yes, sir. He was also carrying a map of the hospital. Bomb sniffing dogs are combing the hospital, but we started evacuating immediately. The patients will be transferred to other hospitals near by."  
  
Jed's mind raced. Abbey, Liz, Ellie, Zoey.... "I...my family, I have to get them out." Jed sprinted for the door.  
  
"Sir, you can't." Leo hurried up behind him.  
  
"I can't? Leo, my family is in there!" Jed tried to free himself from Leo, but found it impossible.  
  
"I know!" Leo whispered, trying to calm the President. He kept his arms securely around his best friend, trying to send Jed reassurance through his touch. "Do you think that Ron will allow you to go there? That I would? I love them as if they were my own family, but you have to let the agents take care of them."  
  
Jed stared at Leo, knowing Leo was right. He couldn't get anywhere near the hospital. "Okay." After a soft squeeze to Leo's arm, he freed himself and hurried over to the phone. "Then I will tell them to get the hell out of there."  
  
Fitzwallace knew that what he was about to say would not sit well with The President, to put it mildly. "Sir, we are evacuating from the first floor and going up. Your family is on the fifth floor."  
  
Jed snapped his head up. Had he heard correctly? "Are you telling me that I can't get my family out now, but have to wait until they get to fifth floor?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"But if I had been on the fifth floor, you all would have whisked me away?" There was a sarcasm in Jed's tone, because he knew the answer to that question already.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Damn it!" Jed slammed the receiver back down. "My family is just as important as me."  
  
"Jed..." Leo tried to head off a confrontation, seeing the rage build in his friend.  
  
Oblivious to Leo calling him by his first name Jed went on. "Hell, they are even more important than me because without them I might as well just die."  
  
At his words, everything fell silent.  
  
After a few moments, Fitzwallace spoke again. "Sir, we are doing everything we can." With those words, he started for the door.  
  
Eyes glaring with anger, Jed watched him leave. When he was gone, Jed picked up the phone. "Abbey might not be able to leave on her own, but my daughters can."  
  
With the chaos that had gripped Bethesda, Leo was certain that Jed probably wouldn't get through on the phone. Instead of having him get agitated over that, Leo thought he might calm him down the only way he knew. "Sir, would you leave Abbey if you were with her now?" Leo crossed to Jed and stood close to his side.  
  
Jed looked up at him, wondering where that question came from. "No!" He responded.  
  
"Do you think the girls would?" Leo watched as the words sank into Jed.  
  
So that's what Leo was doing. Jed understood completely. "No." He hung up the receiver and dejectedly fell back into his chair.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"CJ?! CJ?!" The reporters screamed after her as she made her way down from the podium. Ignoring them, she hurried to her office and closed the door behind her. She rounded her desk and sat down, barely composing herself when she heard Leo's voice calling her name.  
  
"Come in, Leo."  
  
Leo opened the door. "You did good."  
  
CJ shrugged. "I did OK."  
  
Leo knew how hard these last press briefings had been on CJ. Except for himself, CJ was the one Abbey was closest to of all the people on The President's staff.  
  
"How is The President?" CJ could very easily picture The President going mad at not being able to help his family.  
  
"Frustrated and scared." That was an understatement considering how Jed always reacted when someone he loved was in danger. "They are evacuating the forth floor now."  
  
"That was quick."  
  
"The third floor was closed for renovations, so there were no patients there."  
  
"OK."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Something was going on and Liz didn't like it. She saw the police cars outside and the ambulances. There were people everywhere and they were scurrying and their  
  
movements were jerky like they weren't quite sure what to do. She watched a man she recognized as the hospital administrator pace back and forth, asking a million questions of every policeman he encountered. She looked over her shoulder at Zoey, still fast asleep. "Zoey, wake up. Wake up!"  
  
Zoey opened her eyes. "What?"  
  
"Something is wrong." She took Zoey by the arm.  
  
Zoey didn't know what to think as she got to the window and looked out. "What's going on?"  
  
"I have no idea, but I'm going to find out." Liz had barely finished her sentence when the door flew up.  
  
"I need you two to come with me." One of their agents said.  
  
"What is going on? And we are not leaving until you tell us." Liz was determined to find out.  
  
"There is no time. You have to come with me." The agent moved aside as two nurses came into the room.  
  
Liz gathered her and her sister's things as the nurses moved their mother. "OK, but we don't know where Ellie is."  
  
The agent didn't react. "We will find her. Please come with me."  
  
"They are on the fifth floor now."  
  
Jed didn't move. How scared must his daughters be right now? His poor babies! First their mother's car accident and now this. The only positive thing in all this was that Abbey wasn't awake and petrified through it. He was glad that he had called and talked to Annie. He thought he would reassure her about her mother, aunts and grandmother. Turned out, Annie reassured him more.  
  
"Sir, they are on the fifth floor now." Leo tried carefully one more time. "They're going to be OK." Since returning from CJ's office, he had not left Jed's side.  
  
Jed just nodded. They weren't out yet.  
  
Charlie came in and wasn't sure whether to approach The President or not, considering he had more bad news to give. He signalled to Leo.  
  
Leo walked over to Charlie and whispered. "What is it?"  
  
Jed heard the mumbling voices and swirled his chair around. He waited and soon Charlie was on his way out of the office. "What's going on?" He was tired and his voice didn't hide that fact.  
  
This was not going to do any good. "Abbey, Liz and Zoey are out." Leo knew the relief would only last an instant.  
  
Jed closed his eyes to let the relief calm his pounding heart, but immediately opened his eyes again as he realized. "What about Ellie?"  
  
"They can't find her." Leo knew Ellie used to ditch her agents now and then, just like her father, although Ellie did it more often.  
  
"Shit." Jed got up and started to pace. Abbey, Liz and Zoey were safe. That was good, but Ellie was still somewhere in the danger zone. He couldn't go and look for her himself, so what the hell could he do now? "They have no idea where she is?"  
  
"None."  
  
Jed had never felt more helpless than in the last 24 hours, not being able to prevent Abbey's accident, not being the one to catch the bomber, not being able to rescue his family from the hospital and now, not being able to help find Ellie.  
  
TBC..... 


	7. Awakened

Acceptance  
  
Part 6  
  
Ellie sneaked through the basement. She had really needed this moment alone, but now thought it be best if she returned to her sisters. As she made her way up some stairs, someone yelled at her. "Freeze."  
  
She did just that as two policemen surrounded her. "What were you doing down here?"  
  
Seeing the men approach and who they were scared her. "I...I just needed to be alone."  
  
One of the men glanced at the other. The other man nodded and soon one of them brought out a pair of handcuffs.  
  
"What are you doing?" She felt the cold steel against her wrists as she tried to break free. "I haven't done anything. Look, my name is Eleanor Bartlet and my father is President Bartlet...."  
  
She didn't get a chance to finish as one of them looked skeptical and scoffed. "Yeah sure, can you prove that?"  
  
Damn, Ellie had left her purse with her ID in her mother's hospital room. Did they have to be so rough with her?  
  
Taking her silence as an answer, the men started dragging Ellie away. "Could be we have the bomber's accomplice on our hands."  
  
Ellie couldn't believe her rotten luck. Figures she would end up in the path of perhaps the only policemen in DC who didn't know who she was. This was a terrible day that was just getting worse.  
  
The two men walked with Ellie through the basement, one of them keeping his hand on her wrist like he thought she might try to escape.  
  
"Maybe we should get the Captain down here?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She does look like one of the Bartlet girls."  
  
Ellie began hoping that maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. She could be freed and get back upstairs before anyone missed her and found out what was happening.  
  
"You are kidding?"  
  
"Just get him!"  
  
"Fine."  
  
The older man left Ellie alone with his partner. He stopped and she faced him. "If you are Eleanor Bartlet, I am sorry about this, but we need to be careful."  
  
Ellie didn't really care about the apology. "Why? What is happening?"  
  
"There is a possibility there might be a bomb in the hospital."  
  
"My mother and sisters are here." She automatically tried to free herself so she could help her family.  
  
"The hospital is being evacuated and I'm sure your family is already gone."  
  
Ellie stopped trying to free herself and relaxed. They were safe. She looked up to meet his gaze. "Thanks."  
  
The officer was beginning to believe they had made a mistake, that Ellie really was who she claimed. He felt bad, but not unjustified. What was she doing in the hospital basement without her Secret Service agents? "If you are who you say you are, where are your agents?"  
  
"I ditched them," replied Ellie sheepishly.  
  
"Why?" The idea was foreign to the officer who was sworn to protect just as the agents were.  
  
Ellie sighed. "My mother was hurt bad in an accident. You probably saw that on the news. I needed some time alone to deal with it."  
  
"You know ditching your agents is dangerous, they are there to keep you safe." The agent saw how dejected his chastisement had made Ellie. "But I can understand how some circumstances can make us do things we normally wouldn't do."  
  
Ellie nodded and smiled. This was not the time to share with the officer that she had ditched her agents before.  
  
Jed hung up the receiver. After speaking to Liz and Zoey, he felt much calmer, but there was still the matter of where Ellie was. Didn't she know how worried they would all get? The last time she had ditched her agents, he had tried to talk to her, but he couldn't deny it when she had accused him of doing the same. Well, not to the same extent, but he couldn't really continue arguing with her after she brought that up. "I hope she's all right." She had to be.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ellie leaned back against the car seat. At least she wasn't in a police car because she was arrested. The city lights went by in a blur as the car made its way through the streets. 'Just a little longer' her mind kept repeating. 'Don't start crying now.'  
  
Charlie peeked in the Oval. "Sir?"  
  
Jed looked up, hoping for some good news. "Yes."  
  
"Ron Butterfield just called and said that Eleanor has been found and she has now left Bethesda."  
  
Jed allowed himself to relax. She was safe. They were all safe now. "Where was she?"  
  
"He didn't say."  
  
Jed smiled at him and his voice gave way to real warmth. "Thank you, Charlie."  
  
Charlie was more than happy to have been able to give his boss some good news.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ellie walked with quick steps towards her father's office. "Hey Charlie. Is he in?"  
  
Charlie gestured for her to go in.  
  
She took a deep breath and quietly opened the door, seeing him leafing through some papers. He still had not heard her. "Dad."  
  
Jed recognized the voice and looked up. Ellie was standing by the door. His impulse was to hurry over to hug her as he got up, but that didn't happen. His anger got the better of him. "Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I was? How worried your sisters were?" He started pacing back and forth, turning his back to her. "I'm just glad your mother wasn't awake for your little stunt, because you know how upset she gets when you do this." Jed waited for his daughter to start shouting back which she always did.  
  
Ellie felt everything come down on her at that moment. Her walls crumbled and she gave in. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"  
  
Upon hearing her words, he spun around, not sure if he had heard right.  
  
"Please don't yell at me, Daddy." She could feel her crying taking over her entire being.  
  
Jed's anger all but disappeared at hearing his daughter. He cursed himself as he hurried over to her and gathered her in his arms. She was giving in to her feelings and what was he doing? Yelling at her! He lead her to the couch. "No, no, I'm the one who's sorry. I am the one who should be sorry. Shhhh....it's OK." He rocked her back and forth gently like he always did when one of his children was crying.  
  
After a few minutes, Jed felt Ellie pull back. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, honey; I was just so worried about you."  
  
Ellie nodded. "Bet you wouldn't have yelled at Liz or Zoey." Now why did she say that? She knew it wasn't true, but a little insurance would be nice.  
  
"If they had ditched their agents, you bet I would have." Jed smiled at her as he brushed some of her hair aside so he could see her face.  
  
Ellie sniffed and wiped some tears away with her hand. Suddenly she felt her father take her hand.  
  
He had caught a glimpse of what looked like a bruise and it was. He studied her wrist as his thumb gently went over the dark purple flesh. "What happened to you?"  
  
Ellie squirmed a little. "Nothing, really."  
  
"This doesn't look like nothing." He watched her and knew from her behaviour that she would rather not talk about it. Too bad! "Ellie?"  
  
Her father had that look. The look that said 'You better tell me because I'll find out anyway'. "Fine. I was handcuffed by some policemen."  
  
"What?" This was something he had not expected.  
  
"Yeah. They thought I could be an accomplice of the bomber." She drew her hand away from her father. "I wasn't arrested, because the Captain recognized me and I got an apology."  
  
"And that justifies it?" Jed couldn't believe what he was hearing. Someone had actually mistaken his daughter for a criminal.  
  
"Dad." Her father was getting angry again, so she tried pleading with him. "Dad, please don't get mad!"  
  
He turned to her and just by looking at her face, all his anger dissipated yet again. "You sure you're all right?" His daughter's lips curved up into a smile as a response. "OK, OK." She really looked like she could use some sleep. "I'm going to take you upstairs and you are going to get some sleep."  
  
"Dad..." Ellie tried, knowing full well it would not work.  
  
"It won't work a second time. I'll just go and talk to Charlie. I'll be right back." He left the couch and walked out.  
  
Ellie did feel a little tired as she leaned back. Maybe her father was right. A little sleep wouldn't be so bad.  
  
After a quick word with Charlie, Jed was back. "I'm going to..." He stopped as he saw Ellie on the couch, sleeping. It was a sight that made him smile. He tiptoed over to make sure she was comfortable. After doing so, he grabbed the blanket that was nearby and pulled it over her. He kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Two hours later Jed was looking over his papers not really sure what he was reading.  
  
Momentarily, Leo walked into the Oval. "Sir, I have...." He stopped when Jed brought a finger to his lips as to indicate to Leo to be quiet. Jed gestured over to the couch and Leo turned to see Ellie sleeping on it. He nodded as a response.  
  
Jed got up, hoping Leo had some good news, so he could finally get back to Abbey. "Anything?" He whispered.  
  
Leo responded in a low voice. "He's talking. Apparently he is a follower of Brendan McCullough, just like we expected. They found the bomb at Bethesda. It was located on the sixth floor in an air duct, right above Abbey's room."  
  
Jed knew this was not a coincidence. "Deliberate?"  
  
"Yes. He was mad at you for not releasing McCullough, so he wanted to hurt you where...."  
  
"Where it would hurt the most." Jed finished.  
  
Leo nodded. "We were lucky, Jed."  
  
Jed? What was Leo not telling him? "Oh?"  
  
"For some reason the bomb wasn't rigged properly. Don't know why. Maybe someone saw him or he felt nervous. If it had been rigged properly the bomb would have detonated 15 minutes earlier." Leo eyed Jed carefully. "Because they had those extra 15 minutes, they were able to diffuse the bomb and keep it from going off."  
  
15 minutes! That would mean that.... That they all would have.... They wouldn't have had chance to escape. Abbey, Liz.. Jed turned to look at Ellie sleeping on the couch. Ellie, Zoey... They all would have...died. Suddenly everything went black.  
  
Leo tried catching Jed as he fell, wrapping his arms fully around him. It was a valiant effort, but Jed's solid weight was too much for Leo who ended up falling with him.  
  
Having heard the commotion, the Secret Service burst in the door. Seeing the President and Leo on the floor, they scanned the room for danger, but Leo quickly told them that the President had passed out. One agent checked the President's vitals while another made sure Leo was not hurt, which was a challenge as Leo was eager to check on the President.  
  
Ellie sat up. What was that sound she just heard? Then she heard Leo's voice calling her father. She looked around and saw them both on the floor, Leo struggling to sit up. She jumped up and hurried over. "What happened?"  
  
"He passed out." Leo moved aside knowing Ellie would know more what to do. The Secret Service agent assisted Ellie in examining him.  
  
"Get some water." Ellie loosened her father's tie and unbuttoned three buttons of his shirt. "Dad? Dad?" She patted his cheeks.  
  
There was a familiar voice reaching him as he fluttered his eyes open. "I didn't mean to wake you."  
  
Ellie smiled. He was going to be all right. "It was time to get up anyway." Along with Agent Cooper, she helped him to sit up as Leo came back with a glass of water. She took the water and helped her father to drink.  
  
Leo was relieved to see the colour back in Jed's face as he sipped some of the water Ellie offered him.  
  
"I could use some help," Jed said as Ellie put the glass away.  
  
Leo and Ellie took one arm each and helped Jed to his feet.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was early morning when Jed and Ellie, hand in hand, walked through the hallways of Walter Reed Hospital where Abbey had been moved. They had not visited Abbey before she had been taken for more tests. As they approached, Liz and Zoey rose to meet them.  
  
"The long lost sister returns." Liz grinned as Ellie came closer.  
  
Ellie made a face. "No need to give me a lecture."  
  
"No, I'm sure Dad did that." Zoey chimed in.  
  
He loved watching his three girls interact. "Before I go in to your mother, there is something I want to talk to you all about."  
  
"Not to ditch our agents." Zoey stated.  
  
Jed actually let out a small laugh. "No. Well, don't ditch your agents, but that's not what is on my mind." There was no reason to let them all know how close to death they had come. But, it had made him more determined on something. "The events of the last two days have made me realize that I don't see you guys enough."  
  
The three women looked at each other.  
  
"Sure we get together for birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas, but the bottom line is from now on I want you all to promise me you'll visit me and your mother more often. Or we will visit you, just as long as we spend more time together." He saw the hesitant looks on their faces. "I know I can be busy, but I'm going to make sure I have time for you. You are after all the most important people in my life."  
  
They didn't know what to say. They all nodded and mumbled in agreement as they hugged their father.  
  
He hugged them back with all his might. "All right, why don't you all get some sleep or something to eat while I visit your mother." He watched as they gathered their things and walked away before he entered Abbey's room. Once inside he went over to the chair and sat down. "Hey, babe, I'm here."  
  
Abbey's voice caught him off guard. "Welcome back."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Abbey had awakened to sounds outside the door. When she had tried focusing, she knew who the voices belonged to. Soon the door had opened and someone had taken a seat next to her bed. Still having her eyes closed, she heard Jed's voice talking to her.  
  
Jed leaned in closer. Had he just heard his wife say 'Welcome Back'? "Abbey?"  
  
"Yeah." She opened her eyes and looked at him.  
  
Seeing those gorgeous eyes lovingly look at him always melted his heart. He took one of her hands in his. "When did you....?"  
  
She let out a small sigh. "Just now."  
  
He swallowed. It was time. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Sour. My head is aching, but not as much as before." It occurred to her that her husband looked tired, but most of all sad. "Hey. Don't look so sad, I'm OK now."  
  
He had not meant to be so transparent. And he didn't mean to avoid eye contact with her, but he did.  
  
"Jed?" Why wasn't he looking at her? "Jed? What's wrong? You're scaring me?"  
  
He turned back to her. Why couldn't he hide his emotions better? He had had time to prepare for this and he was failing miserably. He took a deep breath. "Your legs were injured in the accident." He waited for her to react.  
  
Was that why she couldn't feel her legs? "How bad?"  
  
"Your right leg should be fine in a few weeks. It's weak right now, but once you gain the strength back, it should be as before." He hoped he was right as that was what he had been told.  
  
"And the other one?" She noticed the sadness that crept over her husband's features. "Jed?" She said his name in a whisper, but her voice pounded in her ears.  
  
He tried to fight the tears that were stinging his eyes, but he could not. "Your left leg was...." He sniffed as the first tears made their way down his cheeks.  
  
Abbey didn't say anything. She patiently waited for Jed to continue.  
  
He squeezed her hand. "Your left leg was too badly damaged. The nerves and blood vessels..."  
  
She ran out of patience. He couldn't mean? No! "What are you saying?"  
  
With his free hand, he caressed Abbey's cheek as more tears fell from his eyes and he noticed Abbey's eyes were moist as well. "They......they had to amputate your left leg, honey, just below the knee."  
  
She stared at him. Did he just say...? Immediately she began freeing herself from Jed, pushing him away. She needed to see, she had to see it!  
  
Jed jerked back, stunned by her violent behaviour. His tears flowed freely as she struggled to sit up. "Abbey..." He began pleading, knowing what she was doing.  
  
"Help me. Damn it, help me!" She hated asking for help, but without it, she couldn't get up.  
  
Against his better judgment, he got up and carefully helped his wife to sit up.  
  
As she threw the bed cover over right away her eyes were drawn to that empty spot. There was nothing, absolute nothing where her left leg should be. Her left hand trembled as she felt her thigh, then lower to her knee and then to...nothing.  
  
TBC..... 


	8. Hurt

Acceptance  
  
Part 8  
  
Jed felt out of place. He wanted to do something, but if he did or said anything at this point, how would she react? It was killing him to see her like this.  
  
"Why just the left leg?" Her eyes never left that empty spot as she talked.  
  
He had no idea what she meant. What was she trying to say and why didn't he understand what she was trying to say?  
  
Hearing no answer, Abbey made it more clear to him. "Why did they just take the left leg? Why not the right one too?"  
  
His heart broke into a million pieces. At least that's what it felt like. There was no sarcasm in her voice. Abbey honestly wanted to know why they had not taken both her legs. "Your right leg will be fine."  
  
"Will it?" She spat back. With her left hand still by that empty spot she raised her right hand and with all her strength, she hit her right leg.  
  
Jed jumped when Abbey's hand hit her right leg, startled unpredictability of her actions. "Abbey...?"  
  
He asked careful not to upset her even more. He tried reading her face, but nothing showed. No sign of any pain and he suddenly understood what she was trying to tell him even before she said it.  
  
"I can't feel anything." It was with a sad realization and understanding she laid back on the bed.  
  
Jed sat back down on the chair next to her. "The feeling in your right leg will come back."  
  
"It doesn't matter." She admitted honestly. "Just...just leave me alone."  
  
She was trying to shut him out, but Jed would not let her. He knew she was giving up, like all the fight had gone out of her. "No. I'm staying right here."  
  
"Fine." With all her strength, she turned so her back was now towards Jed.  
  
He leaned back in the chair. She really was shutting him out and he couldn't reach her. He could try, but right now, before she had accepted what had happen to her, she wouldn't listen. He couldn't bear sitting like this, just looking at her back.  
  
Abbey heard him get up and walk away. "I don't want to see anyone." Just to make her point clear, she added fiercely. "No one."  
  
Jed didn't bother answering before he walked out.  
  
Abbey tried fighting it, but as soon as her husband was gone she started to cry. There was so much she wanted to tell Jed, but for some reason she couldn't. She could see he was hurting for her, but so what? He didn't understand. No one did! She had lost a piece of her body and God only knows what her future would be like? Would she be able to do all the things she had done in the past? All the things she still wanted to do? She knew her life wasn't over, but it did feel like it was. "Damn you, Abbey," she choked out. How could she forget? Jed was the one with a disease that might kill him and here she was crying because she felt her life was over. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. Yes, a disease that might kill her husband, but her life was over as of now.  
  
Her father was leaning against a wall, his face as pale as its sterile white paint. He was looking like he might slide down it at any moment, his features blanketed with sadness. His attitude was defeated, not the positive person who had entered her mother's room a few moments ago. "Dad?"  
  
"Your mother is awake." It took a great effort for him to look at Liz.  
  
A part of her was overjoyed that her mother was awake and wanted nothing more than to go to her, but she knew better. "She knows?"  
  
"Yeah and she is shutting me out." He teetered to a nearby chair and collapsed into it. Liz came to sit next to him.  
  
"She'll come around." Liz wrapped an arm around her father. "She needs to come to terms with what happened."  
  
"I don't want her to do it alone." His words came out in an angry tone.  
  
"I know and she won't be. As soon as she realizes we won't go anywhere, no matter how hard she tries to push us away, she'll let us in."  
  
He looked at his eldest daughter as if seeing things clearly for the first time. "You are very smart you know that?"  
  
Trying to lighten up the mood, Liz replied instantly. "With a father who is Nobel Prize winner who became the President and a mother whose doctor skills amaze the brightest of people, this surprises you?"  
  
Jed laughed and for a moment it felt really good to be able to do so. He kissed Liz on the forehead. "No, I'm not surprised. You were always very bright."  
  
Abbey could clearly hear the sound of her eldest daughter's voice and the rich laughter of her husband. What could possible be so funny at a time like this? She could not hear what was said, but she didn't really care, just as long as they left her alone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Leo moved papers aside trying to locate his cell phone. He heard the ringing, but he couldn't find it. "Margaret!"  
  
Within seconds Margaret was in his office. "Yeah?"  
  
"I can't find my damn phone."  
  
"It's right there." Margaret pointed.  
  
He followed her gesture. "No not that one."  
  
Margaret walked up to his desk and removed a pile of books. "This one?"  
  
That's why he couldn't see it. It had been hidden by a pile of books. "Thanks." He fumbled with the phone, hoping the caller would wait. "McGarry." Leo answered as he waved Margaret out.  
  
"Leo, did I interrupt something?"  
  
He relaxed back in his chair. "Liz, no, no. Any news?"  
  
"Mom is awake, she knows and she kicked Dad out of her room. That about sums it up."  
  
"I see." It really wasn't a surprise to Leo to hear that Abbey had reacted in that way. He was happy she was awake, but he knew that she was angry and devastated.  
  
"You think you could come down? Maybe you could talk to Dad."  
  
Leo thought for a second. "I'll be right there." He said goodbye to Liz as something caught his eye. Maybe Jed wasn't the one that he should talk to after all.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ellie and Zoey resisted the urge to go and see their mother. They knew how she had reacted to their father and that she would most likely tell them to leave also. Just like Liz had said to their father earlier, they knew their mother would eventually come around with time. They just hoped it would be soon.  
  
"I want to go in." Zoey stood up and started heading towards her mother's room. She really wanted to see her mother, to try and comfort her.  
  
Ellie hurried up behind her. "No. Look Zoey, we all needed time to accept what happened to Mom and we need to let her have time to do the same. After all, this happened to her." Ellie embraced her younger sister. "I want to see her, too, but let's give her some time."  
  
Zoey reluctantly agreed. "I guess."  
  
As Leo walked briskly toward the entrance of Walter Reed Hospital, he spotted Jed and Liz. They were having a quiet conversation near a side door which was covered by a canopy. They were encapsulated by a ring of Secret Service Agents whose eyes darted nervously over the parking lot and surrounding buildings. No one saw him, so Leo quickly ducked inside before they had a chance to. He got on an elevator, hoping he was doing the right thing.  
  
"Are you out here with me to make sure I don't smoke?" Jed squinted his eyes at his daughter.  
  
"No, you say you have quit and I believe you." Liz replied truthfully.  
  
There was more to it than that. "But.....?"  
  
Liz sighed. "But if there ever was a time to feel the need for a cigarette, it would be now."  
  
Jed turned his head away from her, feeling a little ashamed that he had been caught. He was glad Liz couldn't see the cigarette hidden in his pocket, the one he had been pretty near to lighting up before her arrival. "Yeah."  
  
Liz reached up and made her father look at her again. "But most importantly, I'm here because I don't want you to be alone right now."  
  
"Are these guys invisible?" asked her father with a hint of a smile, gesturing to the agents who looked anything but amused.  
  
"Dad, you know what I mean," said Liz, rolling her eyes. It gave her a little lift that her father still had that Bartlet humour.  
  
He smiled at her and then proceeded to embrace her. It was amazing how the women in his life always knew what he needed and when he needed it, even if he, himself, didn't know it.  
  
Abbey heard the door open and automatically reacted.  
  
"I want to be alone. Get out!"  
  
No point in turning back now. "Hello, Abbey."  
  
That voice. "Leo?" She turned towards him and indeed it was Leo who was now smiling at her from the door.  
  
He closed the door and approached her bed. "We need to talk and I'm not leaving until you listen to what I have to say."  
  
"Leo, if you care about me....."  
  
"I do care about you and that's why I'm doing this."  
  
Abbey groaned as her head hit the pillow. Next to her husband, Leo was the most stubborn man she knew.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Leo seated himself in a chair.  
  
"How do you think?" Abbey voice held all her hurt and anger.  
  
Her anger made him flinch, but Leo spoke only with tenderness. "Abbey, I know you're going through all kinds of emotions right now, but shutting Jed out isn't helping you. Or him."  
  
"So you are here because of Jed?" She glared at him, wishing he would leave. She needed a friend right now, not someone who idolized her husband and was trying to take his pain away.  
  
"Abbey! I'm here because I care about both of you." Hurt at her accusation spread across Leo's face. "Yes, I am here because of Jed. I want you to let him in, because I know how much his love and support will help you. You two are a team and it's just wrong for him  
  
not to be here right now." He saw Abbey trying to respond, but continued not giving her a chance. "You are both hurting and need each other. Look, no one can even imagine what you are going through but if anyone is even close to understanding your pain, it's Jed."  
  
Maybe a part of what Leo said was true. When Jed was diagnosed with MS, she had told him repeatedly that this was affecting her also. Anything that happened to her husband happened to her and vice versa. "You are thinking of what I told him back when he was told he had MS?" Her voice was lower and calmer.  
  
Leo had not even thought of that. "Actually no, I didn't but now that you mention it, that's another reason."  
  
She looked up at his gentle face. Now she was just a little curious as to where he was heading with this. He must have sensed something because he gave her the paper she knew he had brought for a reason, handing it to her, headline front and centre. "First Lady in Car Accident" stood out in bold letters.  
  
"Look at the pictures." Leo avoided looking at the pictures with her as they upset him and he needed to stay calm and focused.  
  
She saw three pictures, one of an ambulance, one of the wrecked car... She closed her eyes briefly at the sight of it. When she opened them, she looked at the third picture. It was the biggest one under the other two. She didn't really see anything except the face of her husband. That look! So much pain. "He...he was there?"  
  
"Yes. We arrived before the paramedics got there." Leo wasn't sure how much she wanted to know, so he waited for her to ask.  
  
He was there. Where it happened? Did he see? Wait! Leo said they arrived before the paramedics so.. Oh God, he did see her.  
  
Leo saw Abbey's eyes getting moist. "Abbey?"  
  
The thickness in her throat was evident. "What did he see?"  
  
"Enough. Enough to carry those images with him for a life time. I don't know if I'll ever forget them." He didn't want to go into details.  
  
Abbey turned to him. It must have been hard for Leo to see her like that and to see his best friend like that. "I can imagine."  
  
Leo cleared his throat. He had fought to keep it from getting to him like this while he was trying to help Abbey. Better move on. "Then something else happened while you were at Bethesda."  
  
Abbey frowned. "This is not Bethesda."  
  
"I know and there is a reason for that." Leo hesitated, not looking Abbey in the eye. How much should he tell her? What should he tell her? This would upset her. Was that fair?  
  
"Leo Thomas McGarry." Abbey used his full name to get his eyes back where she could see them. She knew what he was thinking and she was going to be sure she got the whole story. "Leo... tell me."  
  
Leo decided she deserved to know and launched into the full story without stopping. "When you were at Bethesda there was a bomb threat and we had to evacuate the whole hospital. The FBI is still going over it with the dogs, making sure it's safe." He watched her absorb this new information. "To make a long story short, a man was detonating bombs in Washington and threatened to continue doing so until the President released a certain prisoner. The places he bombed were empty until..." Leo hesitated and only continued when he saw the look on Abbey's face that said 'you will tell me'. "When we caught him, he was leaving Bethesda. He had placed a bomb in an air duct right above your room. Since The President wasn't going to give in to his demand, he wanted to hurt The President....."  
  
"Where it would, hurt the most." Abbey finished for him.  
  
Leo hid the small smile that threatened to break out. This was no laughing matter, but he couldn't help it since Jed had responded just like Abbey just did.  
  
Jed had been through so much when she was out. And her daughters, too. It must have been a terrible experience for them all. She couldn't even begin to imagine how he must feel now when on top of all of it, she was shutting him out.  
  
"He almost lost his family, Abbey." Leo could tell she was beginning to come around about not letting Jed help her deal with her pain.  
  
She looked at him. "Did everyone get out safely, Leo?"  
  
"The bomb was not rigged properly." He watched her as he repeated the words he had said to Jed earlier. "If it had been rigged properly, the bomb would have detonated 15 minutes earlier. Because they had those extra 15 minutes, they were able to diffuse the bomb and keep it from going off."  
  
She blinked. She and her entire family had been so close to death and she had not even known about it. "Oh God." She looked down at the picture of Jed and Leo. "I need to be alone."  
  
There was nothing else he could say or do. "OK." Leo got up and started to walk away.  
  
With a finger she traced the outline of her husband's face in the newspaper. "Leo, could you tell Jed I'd like to see him?"  
  
"Sure." He smiled.  
  
"And Leo...thanks." Abbey gave him a small smile in return.  
  
He walked out of the room. Mission accomplished.  
  
Jed fingered the cigarette. Liz might be back at any moment and he hated for her to be disappointed in him. Just one cigarette. His craving had never been stronger. He put the cigarette to his lips and moved the lighter closer. No, he was not going to give in. He shut the lighter and threw the cigarette in a trash can. Why didn't he just go back upstairs and force Abbey to open up to him? Because when she shut him out, it hurt him more then she could imagine. It hurt much more then he thought it would and he couldn't face that again, not right now. Rubbing his eyes he realized he was very tired, but no matter how tired he was, he knew he wouldn't get any sleep if he lay down. All he wanted was for Abbey to let him in, let him know just what she was thinking.  
  
When he was diagnosed with MS, he, at first, shut her out. So this is what she felt like back then. Maybe this was payback. He had soon realized she was hurting just as much as he was, maybe she would come to the same conclusion now. 'They would face this together' she had said. 'Nothing can change the way I feel about you,' she had said. Couldn't she see that this was true for him now? 'This affects me, too' she had said. 'Whatever happens to you happens to me. We are one' she had said. This was true now, too. 'We are one' he had repeated. They had said that on their wedding day to each other. They truly were one in so many ways. How else could he have known that something was going to happen to her? How else could he have felt it when it did happen?  
  
It wasn't just Abbey. When they were going to Rosslyn, Jed had had a bad feeling about it. And a day when Ellie didn't return from school on time, he had had a worried feeling. It turned out she had fallen from a tree and scraped her knee. Wasn't bad, but she had been little so it had scared her. Heck it had scared him and Abbey as well. There were other times too. Mostly involving one of the children or Abbey, always people he loved. When Leo had been hurt in Vietnam, even thousands of miles away, he had known. Although not every time something bad happened did he feel something was going to happen, but once in a while, he did have these 'warning signals'. Why didn't he listen this time? Oh, he had listened and warned, but what good had that done her? None!  
  
TBC.... 


	9. Acceptance

Acceptance  
  
Part 9  
  
"Sir?"  
  
He saw Leo walking up to him. When did he get back? "Leo, what are you doing here?"  
  
It was clear to Leo that Jed could use some sleep. Although Leo knew Jed wouldn't even try to until he had talked to Abbey. "Liz called me."  
  
Jed simply nodded.  
  
He felt sorry for Jed. This was really getting to him, not being able to be with Abbey. "You know, you really shouldn't be here."  
  
Jed didn't know what he meant? "Where else would I be?"  
  
There was a soft breeze in the air. "I mean you should be with Abbey."  
  
He shrugged. "I would if she would let me."  
  
"Go to her. I think you'll find that she is more than ready to talk to you." Leo could tell by the look on Jed's face that Jed didn't really believe him. "I talked to her, helped her see things clearer. She wants to see you."  
  
Abbey really wanted to see him? He had expected not to be able to see her for hours. Maybe even days! He should have known. Leo could perform miracles. "Thank you" was all he could manage.  
  
Leo smiled at him and gestured him to leave.  
  
There was a knock on the door. It couldn't be Jed, not that fast. "Yes?"  
  
Liz opened the door and peeked inside. "Can I come in?" Liz had talked to Leo and knew her Mom had had a change of heart. Maybe she wouldn't mind seeing her children also.  
  
Abbey's face lit up in a huge smile. "Liz!"  
  
That was all the answer Liz needed so she approached the bed.  
  
Abbey opened her arms and soon she held her eldest daughter. She tightened her grip on Liz as she heard some murmur and looked up to see her two younger children by the door, smiling at her. "Ellie! Zoey!"  
  
They both approached her, but waited, sensing that Liz didn't want to let go just yet. Right now they were content with seeing their mother and the way she looked at them with eyes filled with love.  
  
Jed made his way through the corridor. As he reached his wife's room, he heard laughter inside. He carefully pushed the door open a little more and saw a sight that melted his heart. Liz, Ellie and Zoey were all in Abbey's arms. It looked a little cramped, but they all looked incredibly happy. Even Abbey whose eyes were closed had a very content face. This was a sight he would not forget, maybe it could replace some of the bad things he had seen.  
  
Being so connected to Jed, Abbey felt his presence in the room, so she opened her eyes and saw her husband standing by the door. "Jed."  
  
Liz, Ellie and Zoey all let go of their mother and spotted their father by the door.  
  
He felt guilty about interrupting the touching scene he had just witnessed. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt."  
  
Abbey was about to say something, but instead her daughters answered for her.  
  
"It's OK, Dad." Liz and Ellie echoed each other.  
  
Jed watched as all three girls kissed their mother's cheek, told her they would be right outside, that they loved her and that everything was going to be OK now. He watched as Abbey hugged them back and said she loved them, too.  
  
She felt so lucky having three wonderful children like them. How much she loved them. One by one they made their way out of the room, glancing and smiling at their father.  
  
As soon as the last one was out, he closed the door and turned back to face her. "Leo told me you wanted to see me."  
  
She noticed that he was hesitant to move forward to her bed. There was love in his eyes, but she could tell by his behaviour that he wasn't really sure if she would talk to him now or act like before. She remembered what Leo had told her. The things Jed had gone through while she was out. What they all had gone through.  
  
He didn't know what was going through her mind right now, but the fact that she hadn't said anything since the girls left didn't look good. Maybe she had changed her mind and didn't want to see him right now. "I can come back," he said as he turned to leave.  
  
No, that's not what she wanted at all. "Wait."  
  
He turned back to face her, waiting for her to make the first move.  
  
She gestured to the chair by her bed. "I.....I would like you to stay."  
  
He walked over to the chair, happy with the fact that she, indeed, wanted him there. He sat down and looked into her eyes as he said in a low voice. "Talk to me."  
  
"I'm not sure what you want to hear me say." She tilted her head slightly still looking at him.  
  
"How you feel would be a good place to start?" He clasped his hands together not knowing if she would welcome a touch.  
  
How easy she could read him. He restrained himself but he could tell he was aching to touch her. She reached out a hand to him.  
  
Welcoming the gesture, he took her hand in one of his and inched closer to the bed.  
  
"I feel that I have been unfair to you." Abbey brought his hand to lay on her chest not looking away from him.  
  
He shook his head. "You haven't been. This is hard for you, Abbey, and I understand that. All I ask is that you don't shut me out."  
  
She nodded. "I realize that this is hard for you, too, and believe me, when I said I wanted to be alone, there was a big part of me that just wanted you to stay."  
  
He smiled as he played with the string of hair on her forehead. "I'm here now."  
  
It was amazing how much love she could see on his face, rivalled only by the love shown on her face for him.  
  
This man that was her husband, the father of her children. "It can't have been easy." She could tell he had no idea what she was talking about. "Seeing me after the accident...in the car."  
  
The images he had tried to forget resurfaced yet again.  
  
When Jed said nothing, she spoke again. "Leo told me. He wanted me to know just what you've been going through."  
  
Jed cleared his throat as he tried shaking the awful images of his wife in the backseat. Blood all over her legs, metal deeply.... He shook his head. "He shouldn't have told you."  
  
"No, I'm glad he did. His words allowed me to see things clearly. He said something to me and what he said is true." She wished she could take away the pain Jed was feeling. No doubt what he saw would haunt him for a long time.  
  
"What did he say?" He had stopped playing with her hair and his hand was rested on her shoulder. The other one was still intertwined with one of Abbey's over her chest.  
  
She repeated the words Leo had told her not long ago. "'No one can even imagine what you are going through, but if anyone is even close to understanding your pain it's Jed.' And that's true. If you don't understand me then who could?" Again she could read his face and it told her he didn't quite believe her. "Tell me how I am feeling?"  
  
"What?" This was an odd request. Was she testing him?  
  
"Come on. You know me better then anyone. Try." Her free hand started caressing his hand that was intertwined with hers.  
  
He sighed as he studied her. He did know her very well, as she knew him. "You're scared because you don't know if you can live with yourself now. You're uncertain what the future will be like for you. How people will react to you, how you will react to them." It was so easy saying those things. He knew that's how she felt simply because that's how he would have felt if it had happened to him.  
  
Abbey smiled at him. "See...that wasn't so hard. That's how I feel, but there is one more thing."  
  
Jed didn't need to ask. "It doesn't matter to me, Abbey. Nothing could change how I feel about you."  
  
She blinked. She already knew that, but deep down there was always that little seed of doubt threatening to grow. Suddenly she remembered. "My God, I've been so selfish. The driver and the agent in the car with me? Are they all right?"  
  
He didn't like telling her they had lost an agent. Just like him, she always took it hard. "The agent didn't make it. He died at the scene, he didn't suffer."  
  
Abbey closed her eyes while Jed kept talking.  
  
"I called his parents and talked to them for a bit. My God, they had just lost their son and yet they were telling me they were praying for you." He noticed she didn't open her eyes and he knew she blamed herself. He kept talking, trying to make her feel better. "The driver is fine. He saved your life, Abbey."  
  
She opened her eyes. "He did?"  
  
"He tied two ties under your knees to stop severe blood loss. The doctor really commended him for what he did." Jed himself had not had a chance to talk to the driver yet, but he made a mental note to do so in the near future. "I'm sure you would like to talk to him."  
  
"Yes, I would." She also remembered something else. "Have you seen Carla? You know I was on my way to see her when..."  
  
"I know." He remembered when Abbey had received that letter. She had been very touched by a 15-year-old boy's concern for his sister who was dying of cancer. The sister's one wish had been to meet The First Lady. Abbey had gone to see her many times and one time even he had visited her. "She passed away yesterday. Her mother called the White House and spoke with Leo. He sent flowers from all of us and made sure the family had everything they needed."  
  
Abbey nodded. She knew there had not been much time left for that little girl. "She was truly amazing."  
  
Jed agreed. He remembered the day he had come along for the visit and watched Abbey hold that sweet 6-year-old in her lap and read to her.  
  
She would have to remember to call Carla's parents. Abbey cleared her throat as she shifted in the bed. "Jed, could you step outside the room for a few minutes?" She would rather have him somewhere else right now, but she couldn't put it off.  
  
Now he was alarmed. "Why?"  
  
"Nothing is wrong, but could you just, please, leave the room?" pleaded Abbey. God only knows how things would turn out if he stayed.  
  
"OK." Normally he wouldn't budge, but he figured if he refused, she would close up on him again.  
  
Abbey watched him until the door was closed before she pushed the button. "I need some help, please."  
  
Neither of his daughters were outside, maybe they went to get some fresh air. He paced around a little until he saw a young man approach Abbey's room. The young man smiled at him, said "Mr. President" and entered Abbey's room. Should this bother him? The fact that  
  
his wife asked him to leave and a young, handsome man walks into her room.  
  
Abbey smiled at the young man. "Hi. This is a little embarrassing but...I need to...." She couldn't even finish, so instead she pointed to the bathroom.  
  
He tapped his fingers nervously against the wall. This was weird. If she needed to ask something, why couldn't he be there with her? What could she need? Was she hungry? Well, she had been out for almost two days, but again, why ask him to leave? Curiosity got the better of him and he opened the door. He was taken aback when he saw the empty bed. Then he heard a noise. He walked in and recognized the sound of running water and a toilet flushing. Seconds later, the bathroom door opened and the young, handsome man came out carrying his wife.  
  
Abbey saw Jed right away. This was going to be bad.  
  
Jed glared at the young man, but contained himself as he watched the man gently sit Abbey on the bed. For a few seconds, he caught a glimpse of Abbey's left leg, specifically the bandage under her knee and for those few seconds, he forgot how mad he was. When the  
  
young man started speaking, Jed looked up.  
  
"Is there anything else I can help you with?"  
  
"No, thank you." Abbey knew he should get out now or soon her husband would come to blows, verbal ones anyway. The young man smiled at her husband on the way out, so he might not realize Jed was angry, but Abbey could see the very fake smile Jed was giving him in return.  
  
He waited until the door was closed. "What the hell was that?"  
  
And it begins. "Jed, you know I can't go to the bathroom by myself."  
  
Of all the things he had thought of in the last two days, that was not one of them. "Shit."  
  
She could tell he hadn't given that particular area much thought. "Don't tell me you actually thought I could?"  
  
"No...no, I just..." He started pacing, but right away he stopped. "Why didn't you ask me? I could have helped you."  
  
"Jed, it's a little humiliating having your husband wipe your ass." Right away she regretted saying that, she knew she had just added fuel to the fire.  
  
He covered his eyes with one of his hands. He had not even thought that far, but now he sure did. "But you didn't mind having a complete stranger doing it?"  
  
"That's not what I meant." She was screaming at him now. He had screamed ever since he had come back into the room, so maybe he would listen to her if she screamed. "Jed, I can't call you every time I need to use the bathroom."  
  
"Why the hell not?" He screamed back at her, even louder then before.  
  
She crossed her arms and said nothing. Sometimes silence was the only way to calm him down. His face had turned a shade of red from all the yelling.  
  
He took some deep breaths to calm himself. Soon he walked over and seated himself in the chair yet again. "You asked me to leave."  
  
"Because I knew this would happen. It's humiliating enough for me as it is without having you yelling about it." She was starting to feel a little warm herself from the yelling she had done. "Jed, for a while I will need assistance when I go to the bathroom."  
  
He tried to control his emotions. It wasn't easy, considering a young, not to mention handsome man had just seen a private part of his wife. "What about when you take a shower?"  
  
Abbey sighed heavily. "That, too."  
  
Jed shot from the chair like a canon. "Oh, no you don't." He knew she was going to start protesting, but he went on. "When it comes to taking a shower, I'll help you."  
  
She wasn't ready for that yet, not ready to let Jed see her like this. "No."  
  
No? She actually said no! Did she think he would let some other man see her naked? "Abbey..."  
  
"No, I don't want your help." She had screamed it aloud, but shut her mouth right away after it had been said. She had not meant it to come out like that.  
  
Jed seated himself once again. "You don't want my help?"  
  
"I didn't mean it like that." She took a deep breath as she took one of his hands in both of hers. "I am not ready to show myself to you yet."  
  
He moved his free hand to hers. "Abbey, I've already seen your leg."  
  
"My leg, yes, but......" It didn't make sense in her own head, so how could it make sense to him? "I...I am just not ready to let you see me, all of me. I know it sounds strange, but I need to heal first, to really accept this."  
  
He wiped away a tear that made its way down her cheek. "I understand." He did. He also understood what a total idiot he had been. "I'm sorry. I know what they are doing is just their job."  
  
She smiled at him. "Yeah."  
  
For a few moments they just looked at each other as they were communicating without sound.  
  
He smiled lovingly at her and she didn't mean to yawn as a response, but it was out of her mouth before she could hide it. With Jed's help, she eased herself back onto the bed. "I'm a little tired, so I think I'll rest for a bit. You don't have to stay. You need food and rest and to be updated by Leo."  
  
There was nowhere else he would allow himself to go. "I'm not going anywhere. I ate before, I can sleep in this chair and if Leo wants me, he knows where I am."  
  
Abbey then felt Jed's head resting on her stomach. It had been a long time since he had done that. She stroked his hair with her fingertips.  
  
Feeling Abbey's fingers in his hair was one of the best things Jed knew. "I love you."  
  
She heard how sleepy he sounded already. "I love you." Soon they would both be asleep. They would be all right. She would be all right. As long as she had Jed, she could accept anything that came her way.  
  
~The End~ 


End file.
